A City Guide For Expats ☆ Helpful Information For Living in Manila

Are you new to Manila? If so, congratulations on your new adventure in a wonderful city.

I still remember the excitement of starting a new chapter of my family’s life in Manila in July 2018. We were fortunate enough to have some great friends who have helped us settle into the exciting city.

Since it’s handy to have information for various needs accessible in one place when navigating a new city, I decided to create this post that can hopefully answer some of your questions as you settle into your lives in Manila.

Before you start delving into the following, I would like to emphasize that what’s listed here is simply what I know. I don’t know everything and I didn’t experience everything in Manila. I hope you understand that the information that I put forth here is rather personal preferences than reviews. I’d appreciate if you could view this as a “friend’s guide” for Manila.

Did you stumble upon this page as you try to figure out what it’s like to live in Manila? If that is the case, I recommend that you read the following article first.

What To Know About Expat Life In Manila

If you would like to know how life was like in Manila during the most difficult period of the pandemic in 2020, please click on the links below to read about it.

Expat Life in Manila During The Pandemic

Staying Positive ☆ 10 Positive Aspects Brought About by The Pandemic

DISCLAIMER

I have left Manila in June 2021 due to my husband’s job assignment being over. I will try to update information here if it is necessary. However, I can’t guarantee the accuracy of information as time passes by. I apologize in advance if information has already changed.

Thank you!

MEDICAL

DENTISTS & ORTHODONTISTS

There are many skilled dentists available in Manila. Once you make expat friends, I recommend you ask around so that you can find a dentist you’d like to go to.

TIP

I learned this tip from a local person. When you call a dental office, ask how much they’d charge for cleaning. You’ll receive different quotes: Roughly between PHP1,500 (USD 30) and PHP3,000 (USD 60). You can guess what other procedures would cost based on how much dentists charge for cleaning.

DENTISTS & ORTHODONTISTS

I selected Dr. Goduco for my son. She came highly recommended by many.

Dr. GODUCO

The reason why I selected Dr. Goduco for my son was because he had many cavities at age 7. It was insane… He used to freak out with dental procedures when he was little. Thus, I met with 5 dentists for advice.

Dr. Goduko was not only competent, but she also offered laughing gas. She was wonderful.

As for my 2 daughters, they went to 2 different dentists. They both are great. The only difference was pricing.

CHILDREN’S DENTAL CENTER
My oldest daughter had her braces done by Dr. Zaphra at Children’s Dental Clinic. We’re very happy with the result. The cost for braces at Children’s Dental Clinic was most inexpensive among those I’ve researched. (When you have 3 kids who all need dental treatments, this factor weighs a bit more.)

CASIPIT DENTAL GROUP

My middle daughter has seen Dr. Aziel with the Casipit Dental Group. We’ve been very happy with her. Since my daughter’s expander made by Dr. Aziel had a great result, we decided to go forward with braces even though we didn’t have much time left in Manila. We are glad that we made the decision for her to get braces in Manila with her.

HOSPITALS

There are two major hospitals that are known among many expats: Makati Medical Center and St. Luke’s. I find their facilities very clean and well equipped just like in the U.S. or in Japan. The doctors who have practice at these hospitals are well skilled and capable.

DOCTORS

Below is a list of doctors that I know personally and recommend.

DERMATOLOGIST

Dr. Melanie Chao-Lo
St. Lukes
(02)8871-8820
Email: ourderma@gmail.com

OBGYN

Dr. Teresa Henson
St. Lukes
(0926)682-3060

INTERNIST

Dr. Alexandra Laya-Zinampan
(0917)376-0501
(02)8789-7700

PCR & ANTIGEN TESTING FOR TRAVELING

Dr. Chico
(0917)898-2012

Dr. Chico can come to your residence for testing.

FOR HOME

WATER BOTTLES FOR WATER DISPENSERS

AQUABEST

I use a company called Aquabest. If you live in an apartment building, they may have a company that the building use, so you shoulud check with your receptionist for ordering water. Many apartment buildings receive their water delivery on set days. The schedule would depend on individual buildings.

AQUABEST PHONE NUMBERS
02-8621-0672
02-8545-2635
(0917)561-3210

FRAME SHOP

I recommend the following frame shop. It seems that many expats use this shop for their framing needs.

Pio Del Pilar Gallery Frames Makai

CUSTOM-MADE FURNITURE SLIPCOVERS & DRAPES

Seamstress Recommendations For Furniture Slipcovers In Manila

PAINTER

You would like to paint your rooms for an update?

Painting Walls & Finding A Painter In Manila

PAINT SHOP

DUNN EDWARDS

FURNITURE

ADR RATTAN INDUSTRY Rattan Furniture From The Philippines

HOME DECOR

LANDMARK HOME
SM HOME
H&M HOME in SM Makati MAP

FOR SHOPPING

GROCERIES

JAPANESE GROCERIES
NEW HATCHIN JAPANESE GROCERY MAKATI
Village, 1203, 7602, Metropolitan Avenue, Sacred Heart St, Makati, Metro Manila, Philippines
PHONE: +63 2 8897 7207

KOREAN GROCERIES
BONI GLOBAL MART BGC
G/F, Kensington Place, 1st Avenue, BGC, The Fort
PHONE: +63 2 8557 5824

SOUVENIRS

KULTURA

FRANKIE & FRIENDS

AbelPhilippines “ABEL ILOKO or INABEL is a traditional high quality woven fabric created on weaving looms by the master weavers of Ilocos Region. ABEL PH is a social enterprise that provides a sustainable livelihood to our weaving communities.”

More Photos Easy Bedroom Makeover & A Lesson I Learned

Not A Daydream
More Photos Easy Bedroom Makeover & A Lesson I Learned

SPORTING GOODS STORES

BOOTCAMP

I found my son’s shin guards at Bootcamp in BGC. For kid size soccer socks, I went to other sporting shops.

DECATHLON

Decathlon is a big sports equipment and clothing shop that seems to have everything you need. It’s like a sporting goods version of IKEA. My kids loved going to Decathlon.

There are many sport shops in Glorietta Mall in Makati. If you type in “sports shops in Glorietta”, you can pull up all the sports shops in Glorietta Mall on a Google Map. Below are the ones I have used.

OLYMPIC VILLAGE
TOBY’S SPORTS
CHRIS SPORTS
STRIDE & STROKE – Great for scuba and snorkeling gears.

RUNNR
RUNNR in High Street is a small discounted sports wear shop. It can be a hit or miss, but it’s worth checking out.

SHOES

MATTHEWS
I stumble upon Matthews at SM Department Store. Their sandals are light, comfortable and stylish. I love them!

SHOES & PURSE REPAIR

Mr. QUICKIE
For cheap shoe repair, I take my shoes to Mr. Quickie.

Dr. LEATHER
For repairing expansive shoes and leather or pricy bags, I recommend Dr. Leather.

SELF-CARE

HAIR SALON

NORA

SPA – MANICURE & PEDICURE

My favorite place in Manila. When I’m feeling down and need some pampering of mani pedi, it’s there for me. I loved it!!

NAIL SPA

Other places I have gone and are good are as follows.

DASHING DIVAa
MICH & MYL

QIWELLNESS LIVING Qiwellness is a lovely spa in Tagaytay.

AT HOME SPA SERVICES

My husband used to get foot massage at least once a week pre-Covid. They resumed their services when the restrictions were lifted. We felt comfortable welcoming the therapists in our house for massage sessions. We enjoyed Spaholic’s home massage services before leaving Manila in June 2021.

SPAHOLIC
+63 917 531 3531

I had a spa theme birthday party for my middle child. I had 4 spa ladies come for mani pedi. It was very reasonable and the girls loved it. Actually 4 out of 12 girls turned down the service saying they don’t care for mani pedi. Interesting… Eight girls who got mani pedi LOVED it! Can you guess who in my family jumped in for the services when 4 girls turned down the offer? Me and my husband!! There was no way we would pass that opportunity.

VEHICLE RELATED SERVICES

CAR BATTERY SERVICE

You get to your car and the engine wouldn’t start. You try jumping it, but nothing happens. That probably means that your batter is completely dead and you need a new one. This happened to us and to our friends as well. What do you do?

Call Motolite if you are in Metro Manila. They came in about 40 minutes. They were professional and helpful.

MOTOLITE

WINDSHIELD
Any issue with windshield (hopefully not)?

AGUILA AUTO GLASS
UNIVERSAL GLASS COMPANY, INC.
RETAILER OF AUTO GLASS
1748 Evangelista Street, Brgy. Bangkal, City of Makati

PHONE: (02)8836-8015

*Evangelista Street hosts shops after shops for vehicles all lined up on this one street. You can find someone who can help you with any car issues on Evangelista Street in Makati.

OIL CHECK

BANADOS AUTO KALIKOT & GENERAL MERCHANDISE CORP
2021-22 Evangelista corner Estrella Steet, Bangkal, Makati City
PHONE: (02)8757-3944 / (02)8843-2189

I used Banados Auto Kalikot & General Merchandise on Evangelista Street. They were very thorough.

TOYOTA
TOYOTA PASONG TAMO, INC.
2292 Pasong Tamo Extention, Magallanes
City of Makati 1231
PHONE: (02)8893-8084
WEBSITE

TRANSPORTATION SERVICES

There are taxis and Grab available in Manila. However, if you’re catching a flight during a busy holiday season, you may not be able to catch a Grab. It happened to my friend. That’s panicky. I know some expats who have missed flights especially during the Easter Break. Nissan Rental Car Services have a section for transport service for hire. You can book in advance. It’s worth for your peace of mind.

AIRPORT TRANSPORT
NISSAN ENTERPRISES

RESTAURANT RECOMMENDATIONS

There are so many great restaurants in Manila. You can see a list of restaurants I have featured on my blog under the Manila City Guide page under the EXPAT LIFE tab. I didn’t get to feature all the wonderful restaurants in town due to the time constraint. Here are my favorite 5 if I have to pick.

MY FAVORITE 5

BLACKBIRD Western and Asian Fusion Restaurant

PEOPLE’S PALACE This is my favorite restaurant in Manila. It’s a wonderful Thai restaurant.

WILDFLOUR

TOYO

BREAKFAST AT ANTONIO’S This one is in Tagaytay, an hour and a half drive from Manila. It’s well worth your time.

MY FAVORITE CAFES

CAFE FLEUR Wonderful for local as well as western cuisine. The interior decor is lovely.

SINGLE ORIGIN Great place to get local coffee

ANTIPODEAN Great for all meals, but I especially love their breakfast. I was a fan of Antipodean since Jakarta. Here is a blog post about Antipodean in Jakarta.
Antipodean ☆ Kiwi Australian Style Cafe in Kemang, South Jakarta

HOUSEHOLD STAFF ☆ HELPERS & DRIVERS

You will most likely hire a helper and driver while you’re living in Manila. I know some expats who don’t hire any helper or driver, but it seems that many expats do have household staff. Here is a blog post on the questions you can ask at your interviews.

HIRING

10 Questions To Ask When You Interview Household Help

CONTRACT FOR HELPER & DRIVER

How To Write A Contract For Domestic Employees

SOCIAL SECURITY SERVICES (SSS), PHILHEALTH & PAG-IBIG FOR YOUR STAFF

This is for a whole another post. Thus, I won’t go into details in this post. Instead, I will write a brief explanation.

When you hire a full-time household help in the Philippines, under the Kasambahay Law (Kasambahay means household help in Filipino) you as a household employer become responsible to pay the employer portion of your employee’s SSS, PhilHealth and Pag-IBIG.

I hired a driver and helper in Manila just like many other expats. I registered myself as an employer under SSS, Phil Heath and Pag-IBIG when when my employees signed a contract with us after a trial period. Going through the registration process was not easy.

The system is not made easy for expats who are staying for a short term. You have to show up in 3 different offices when you don’t know where things are located. It may be when you don’t even have your own vehicle. If you have small kids or work full time, I don’t know how you are supposed to register. As for myself, it has been a steep learning curb. I’ll try to write a post about what you should know about registering and unregistering yourselves as employers for SSS, PhilHeath and Pag-IBIG in the future.

SOCIAL GROUPS TO JOIN

When you move overseas, finding friends is a priority. Here are some groups that may be helpful for you to find social outlets.

MA’AM MANILA
Ma’am Manila is a closed Facebook community group for expat women in Manila.
MANILA EXPAT SISTERHOOD
Manila Expat Sisterhood is another closed Facebook community group for expat women in Manila.
AMERICAN WOMEN’S CLUB OF THE PHILIPPINES (AWCP) AWCP offers various activities. AWCP used to host bazaars monthly. It is one of the best bazaars to buy souvenirs.
AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND ASSOCIATION

JAPANESE ASSOCIATION IN MANILA マニラ日本人会
日本人会には多くの同好会が存在します。同好会は他の日本人駐在員と交流する絶好の場であると思います。

まぶはい　日本人会会報
マニラ滞在期間中、マニラ日本人会会報のボランティア編集員として、記事執筆に参加をさせていただきました。書くことが好きな方、マニラをもっと探索してみたい方、マニラ情報を発信したい方は、是非参加してみて下さい。他の編集員と共に、マニラ生活をお助けする記事作りに貢献してみてはいかがですか？他の駐在員配偶者に知り合える恰好の場でもあります。

ACTIVITIES IN & AROUND MANILA

TOUR
INTRAMUROS

AMERICAN CEMETERY IN MANILA ☆ BGC

MUSEUM
NATIONAL MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY

SAILING
TAAL YACHT CLUB

WAKEBOARDING
LAGO DE ORO
Even though I never succeeded wakeboarding at Lago de Oro, I thought it was fun. I wanted to go back for wakeboarding at Lago De Oro, but it never happened as we went into Enhanced Community Quarantine towards the end of our tour in Manila.

TRAVEL RECOMMENDATIONS ☆ DRIVING DISTANT

CRUSOE CABINS Beautiful beach with a fun water slide. Great for little kids, big kids and adults.

ANILAO A great location for diving, but it’s also a great place for snorkeling if your kids can swim.

CLUB PUNTA FUEGO Beautiful facility with several beaches in the compound.

AMARA RESIDENCES Amara Residences is in the same group as Club Punta Fuego. If you can’t book a room at Club Punta Fuego, this would be a good alternative.

TRAVEL RECOMMENDATIONS ☆ MINDORO

Fishermen’s Cove
This is our favorite place to travel to while living in Manila. I will update this post with the link to a post about Fishermen’s Cove once I finish writing about it.