Manila Travel Risk — Elevated Risk (58/100)
Is Manila safe right now? Checked 16 October 2026
Manila scores 58/100 on our travel risk index (Elevated). The US State Department rates Philippines Level 2 (Exercise Increased Caution, updated 1 Sep 2026); the UK FCDO advises against all travel to parts of the country (updated 15 Jul 2026); Canada says: exercise a high degree of caution (with regional advisories). No GDACS or USGS hazard events within 100 km in the last 14 days. No change in government advice in the last 7 days.
Political instability (score 20)
Natural disasters (score 60)
September 27, 2026
Manila, Philippines has a current Travel Risk Calculator composite score of 58 out of 100 (elevated risk tier); the highest-rated risk category is natural disasters at 60/100; the lowest-rated category is political instability at 20/100; last updated September 27, 2026. For official nationwide security advisories, entry requirements, and health notices, see the Philippines travel risk page. Real-time conditions below include live weather, official advisory levels, GDACS disaster alerts, and current news.
Get a personalized assessment for your tripHow safe is Manila to visit in 2026?
Manila currently sits at 58/100 on our composite travel-risk index, which puts it in the elevated-risk tier. Travelers should plan more carefully than the global average — read the Actions section below before booking. The highest-rated risk category for Manila is natural disasters (60/100), and the lowest is political instability (20/100). This page was last updated on September 27, 2026; the baseline category scores reflect analytical indicators, layered with live conditions throughout the day. Live conditions — weather and air quality every 30 minutes, US State Department advisory every 6 hours, GDACS disaster alerts every 30 minutes, CDC health notices every 12 hours, and news every hour — are cached at the source and refreshed automatically when stale.
Driven by: security (66/100) and natural hazards (86/100).
A score of 58 is higher than the scores of 83% of the 241 countries we cover.
AI safety snapshot · refreshed Oct 15, 2026
Manila, Philippines currently carries an elevated risk with a baseline composite score of 58 out of 100 and a US State Department Advisory Level 2. Ongoing safety concerns include a regional drought, a global Level 1 Dengue notice, and recent security preparations for Undas alongside natural events like the Taal Volcano ash eruption.
AI-summarized strictly from the live public-source data below (US State Dept advisory, GDACS, CDC, Google News). Auto-refreshed at most once per day on the first visit. Not official advice.
Live conditions last refreshed: Oct 16, 2026 03:37 UTC
What should I do now?
- Run a real assessment. Open the calculator for live data (weather, advisory, news) layered onto this baseline.
- Natural disasters (score 60/100): Check seasonal hazard (hurricane, monsoon, earthquake) for your dates. Identify hotel evacuation routes on arrival.
- Crime (score 55/100): Use registered taxis or ride-share apps. Keep electronics out of sight in public transit. Read recent reviews for your specific neighborhood.
- Check your country's advisory. The single most authoritative live signal. Linked at the bottom of every real assessment.
Day vs Night Safety in Manila
Guidance based on our scores and official advice — not a measured score.
Exercise heightened caution even during daylight hours. Stick to primary thoroughfares, travel in groups where possible, and avoid navigating quiet residential side-streets alone.
Nighttime movement carries significant risk. Strictly avoid solo walking after dark; rely exclusively on hotel-arranged transportation or registered radiotaxis, and confirm destination security before leaving your accommodation.
Safety by Traveler Type in Manila
Guidance based on our scores and official advice — not a measured score.
Solo travelers
Crime risk is elevated. Solo travelers should avoid quiet areas at night, keep a charged phone and offline map, and share a live location with someone.
Women traveling solo
General crime risk is elevated. Plan arrivals in daylight, avoid isolated areas, and prefer accommodation with 24h reception. We do not hold gender-specific incident data for Manila, so also check the live official advisory above and local women-traveler communities.
Families with children
Health/disaster risk is elevated. Confirm medical-evacuation cover, identify hospitals near your accommodation, and check seasonal hazard (storm/heat/quake) before you book.
Older travelers
Health/transport risk is elevated. Confirm medical-evacuation cover, plan rest between transfers, and locate English-capable medical care on arrival.
Business travelers
Digital/money risk is elevated. Avoid public Wi-Fi for sensitive work, use a VPN, watch for card-skimming at ATMs, and carry minimal cash.
No group-specific warning is triggered in Manila for lgbtq+ travelers (Advisory 45/100 · Political 20/100): these scores sit in the low-to-moderate range, so standard precautions apply. Local laws affecting LGBTQ+ travelers and gender-specific incident rates are not captured in our scores; check your government's travel guidance.
Score layers
Safety categories
Source: Grounded open data research & citations
Quick facts
| Hospital access | medium |
|---|---|
| Airport risk | medium |
| Road safety | medium |
| Public transport | medium |
| Tourist scam risk | medium |
| Night safety | medium |
| Last updated | September 27, 2026 |
Live conditions in Manila
Real-time data refreshed from public sources — weather and air quality from Open-Meteo, official advisory from the US State Department, disaster alerts from GDACS, health notices from the CDC, news from Google News. For an AI-synthesized briefing tailored to your specific trip, run a personalized assessment.
Today's weather
☀ Clear
Manila, Philippines
| Today's high / low | 34.4°C / 26.9°C | Wind now / max | 7.4 km/h / 13.1 km/h |
|---|---|---|---|
| Humidity | 51% | Precipitation today | 0.4 mm · 71% chance |
| UV (max today) | 6.8 | Sunrise / Sunset | 05:47 / 17:35 |
- High precipitation chance
Source: Open-Meteo (free public weather API) · fetched 2026-10-16 03:18:57 UTC · cached
Air quality
Air Quality
Moderate
| PM2.5 / PM10 | 9.6 / 11.5 µg/m³ | O₃ / NO₂ | 104 / 4.7 µg/m³ |
|---|
Source: Open-Meteo Air Quality · fetched 2026-10-16 03:18:58 UTC · cached
Official travel advisory
Level 2 · Exercise Increased Caution
Philippines - Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution
Read full advisory → · US Department of State
Disaster alerts
Active Disaster Alerts
-
Drought is on going in Brunei, Indonesia, Cambodia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam GREEN · country-wide · 2026-04-30
The Drought notification level is Green.
“~N km away” = event centroid within ~500 km of this location; “country-wide” = a national/regional alert that may not be near this specific city. Source: GDACS · fetched 2026-10-16 03:37:34 UTC
Natural hazard calendar & history
5-Year Hazard Calendar (100 km Radius)
| Hazard | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Floods | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 3 | — | 1 | — | — |
| Volcanoes | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — |
| Earthquakes (M5.5+) | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 2 |
Most flood events within 100 km of Manila happened in August (3 of 5 in five years).
Source: GDACS, USGS; five years to October 2026.
Significant Earthquakes (USGS M5.5+ within 150 km)
5 major seismic events recorded within 150 km over the past 5 years.
- Largest: M6.2 on 15 Jun 2023 (97 km away) — USGS details
- Most recent: M5.7 on 27 Nov 2024 (98 km away) — USGS details
For consular advice on women's safety, LGBT+ travel, and local laws, see the Philippines travel advice & laws.
Check the official entry requirements for your nationality before you travel. See the Philippines entry requirements.
Health notices
Health Notices for this Destination
-
Level 1 - Global Dengue WATCH · 2026-10-02
Dengue is a year-round risk in many parts of the world, with outbreaks commonly occurring every 2–5 years. Travelers to risk areas should prevent mosquito bites. Country List : Colombia, Vietnam, Maldives, Bolivia, Cambodia, Kenya, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Costa Rica, Mar
-
Level 2 - Global Polio ALERT · 2026-09-23
Some international destinations have circulating poliovirus. Before any international travel, make sure you are up to date on your polio vaccines. Country List : Afghanistan, Algeria, Benin, Cameroon, Chad, Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Democratic Republic of the Congo, Niger, Nig
-
Level 1 - Global Measles WATCH · 2025-05-28
Measles cases are rising in many countries around the world. All international travelers should be fully vaccinated against measles with the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, according to CDC's measles vaccination recommendations for international travel. Country List : Afghan
Source: CDC Travelers’ Health · fetched 2026-10-15 19:24:31 UTC
Recent headlines
Recent Headlines · Manila Philippines
-
NCRPO readies security deployment for Undas MANILA – The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) is preparing security measures for Undas 2026 to ensure the safety and security of the public visiting cemeteries, memorial parks and columbaria ac
Facebook · 1d ago
-
60 MV June Aster victims identified; 11 still pending – PCG By Raymond Carl Dela Cruz MANILA – The Philippine National Police Forensic Group has identified 60 deceased victims of the MV June Aster fire, with 11 certificates of identification still under proces
Facebook · 2d ago
-
Philippines: Taal Volcano blasts ash 4,000 metres into the sky in five-minute eruption
Gulf News · 6d ago
Source: Google News · headlines verbatim, dates from publishers · fetched 2026-10-16 03:18:59 UTC
1991–2020 climate normals
Seasonal risk & best time to visit Manila
The most weather-stable two-month window for Manila is January–February, when typical daily temperatures run from about 23°C to 29°C and monthly rain averages 21 mm.
Seasonal planning flags include typhoon season in May–November; heavy rain season in June–September; monsoon in June–September. These are climate patterns, not forecasts.
Climate normals are planning context, not a short-range forecast. Source: Open-Meteo Climate API. Refreshed Sep 4, 2026.
Calculate risk for these travel dates Compare seasonal windows →
Practical safety map
Safety infrastructure nearby in Manila
Manila has 10 hospitals, 10 police stations, 5 embassies, 10 pharmacies and 5 fire stations within 7 km of the city center in the latest OpenStreetMap extract.
The interactive map loads when it approaches the viewport.
Facility list (works without JavaScript)
- Hospital: AMOSUP Seamen's Hospital
- Hospital: Gat Andres Bonifacio Medical Center
- Hospital: Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital
- Hospital: Justice Jose Abad Santos General Hospital
- Hospital: Manila Doctors Hospital
- Hospital: Mary Chiles General Hospital
- Hospital: Mary Johnston Hospital
- Hospital: Medical Center Manila
- Hospital: Metropolitan Medical Center
- Hospital: National Center for Geriatric Health
- Police: Unnamed police
- Police: Barbosa Police Community Precinct
- Police: Escolta Police Community Precinct
- Police: Gandara Police Community Precinct
- Police: Gandara Police Community Precinct (OPAC Outpost)
- Police: Jaime Cardinal Sin Building
- Police: Palanca Community Police Precinct
- Police: Plaza Ruiz Outpost
- Police: Police Station
- Police: San Nicolas Police Community Precinct (PCP 2)
- Embassy: Consulate of Chile
- Embassy: Consulate of Jordan
- Embassy: Embassy of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta
- Embassy: Embassy of the United States of America
- Embassy: Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in the Philippines
- Pharmacy: Canadian Drug House
- Pharmacy: East Asia Chinese Drugstore
- Pharmacy: Generika
- Pharmacy: Hong Tai Yang Chinese Drugstore
- Pharmacy: Mercury Drug
- Pharmacy: Mercury Drug
- Pharmacy: Mercury Drug
- Pharmacy: Mercury Drug
- Pharmacy: TGP
- Pharmacy: Watsons
- Fire station: Unnamed fire station
- Fire station: Chinatown Volunteers
- Fire station: Escolta Santa Cruz Fire and Rescue Volunteers
- Fire station: Ongpin-Gandara-Tetuan Volunteer Fire Brigade
- Fire station: South San Nicolas Volunteer Fire Brigade
Map and facility data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Locations can be incomplete or outdated; confirm before relying on them. See this destination’s numbers or browse emergency numbers by country.
Emergency numbers (Philippines)
| Police | 911 |
|---|---|
| Ambulance | 911 |
| Fire | 911 |
| General | 911 |
See nearby hospitals, police, pharmacies, embassies, and fire stations on the safety map.
Medical access
| Hospital access | medium |
|---|---|
| Pharmacy access | medium |
| Emergency response | medium |
| English-speaking care | unknown |
| Evacuation complexity | medium |
The provided sources do not contain specific information about healthcare facilities, emergency services, English‑speaking medical staff, pharmacy availability, or evacuation procedures for travelers in Manila.
Common scam patterns
- Drink‑spiking robbery. Organised groups target tourists in bars and clubs, offering drinks that are spiked with sedatives. Victims may be robbed of valuables after becoming incapacitated. Tip: Never leave drinks unattended and watch the bartender prepare your drink.
- Fake police plain‑clothes shakedown. Individuals posing as police officers approach tourists, especially around Ermita and Malate, and claim they have witnessed a drug‑related offence, demanding money to avoid arrest. The threat is a intimidation tactic rather than a legitimate law‑enforcement action. Tip: Ask to see official identification and contact the nearest police station if approached.
- ATM and taxi meter tampering. Criminals install skimming devices on ATMs and manipulate taxi meters or quote flat rates that are many times higher than the official fare. These scams are common near the airport and in busy tourist districts. Tip: Use ATMs inside banks, verify the meter is running, and agree on a fare before starting the ride.
Area notes
- Bonifacio Global City (BGC). Modern business district with a strong police presence and many upscale hotels.
- Makati. Central business hub that is generally safe for tourists, especially around the commercial and hotel zones.
- Ermita. Popular nightlife area where fake‑police shakedowns have been reported.
Nearest embassies & consulates
Find your home country's diplomatic mission in Philippines for consular support, lost passports, or citizen emergencies:
Run a personalized assessment for Manila
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Calculate my trip riskScore history
| When | Score change | Tier | Reason / source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 27, 2026 | 44 → 58 | moderate → elevated | Method change (scoring v2) scoring v2 |
| Sep 9, 2026 | 0 → 0 | unknown | Data update Grounded open data research & citations |
| May 15, 2026 | — → 48 | moderate | Data update Editorial baseline 2026-05-14 (Numbeo + WHO + State Dept + Global Peace Index references) |
Every editorial change to Manila's composite score is logged here, with the source and reason for the change. Live data overlays (weather, advisories, disaster alerts, news) refresh continuously on their own cadences and are not recorded as score changes — see the Live conditions section above for current overlay state.
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Transparency & Sources
We document the baseline sources, coverage scope, and data inputs for this destination below.
Sources used
- SimpleMaps World Cities (CC BY 4.0): Coordinates, region, population for Manila
- Travel Risk Calculator score (method v2): Security, crime and scams, health, natural hazards and current alerts for Manila, from US, UK and Canadian advisories, INFORM, World Bank, UCDP, CDC, GDACS, USGS and OpenStreetMap
- Editorial baseline (Travel Risk Calculator): City-level threat scoring across 9 categories (crime, health, advisory, political, disaster, transport, environmental, digital security, money safety)
Live data overlays on this page refresh asynchronously on the source cadences shown above. Run an assessment to create a trip-specific briefing using your dates and traveler profile.
Baseline scope
- Category scores represent an analytical baseline, updated from official feeds and public records.
Coverage notes
- Transport-hub safety notes (airport, train stations).
Methodology · Full data-source registry · Report a correction
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Disclaimer
Travel Risk Calculator provides estimated travel-threat information for preparation purposes only. It does not replace official government advisories, medical advice, emergency alerts, immigration rules, insurance advice, police guidance, embassy information, or professional security consultation.