Safety in Philippines: what overland travellers should know
Our summary of the country advice published by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Viaggiare Sicuri) on 23 March 2026.
Safety
- Mindanao: zones to avoid — Maximum care is needed planning any trip across the whole Mindanao region, the one exception being the island of Siargao, which currently shows no problems. Specifically to be avoided: the centre and north-west of the island, namely Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur, Lanao del Norte, Sultan Kudarat, North and South Cotabato and Misamis Occidental, the southern part of the Zamboanga peninsula, and the islands south-west of Mindanao, Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi. The reasons are recurring armed clashes, a persistent bomb threat and the risk of foreigners being kidnapped by groups affiliated to Islamic State.
- National state of emergency — The nationwide state of emergency declared in 2016 (Proclamation 55) is still in force. It brings reinforced controls at sensitive sites, checkpoints along the roads of the archipelago, curfew rules and a ban on carrying weapons, and it authorises the security forces to search people and vehicles.
- Threat beyond Mindanao — The risks may extend to other areas and cities of the archipelago, as far as the Visayas in the centre of the country, including well-known tourist spots in the south of Cebu, on Siquijor and on Bohol, where crowds of any kind should be avoided. The danger concentrates in busy urban places such as large shopping centres, bus terminals and markets, and on symbolic targets such as government buildings and foreign missions.
- Maoist rebels outside cities — Renewed fighting between the armed forces and the Maoist NPA rebels calls for more caution moving around extra-urban areas countrywide, and in particular in the provinces of Albay, Batangas, Laguna and Bicol and on the island of Mindoro. Banditry also makes the southern Visayas and the north-east of Luzon areas for particular caution.
- Petty crime — Pickpocketing, bag-snatching and thefts from cars and hotel lobbies occur throughout the country, particularly in some districts and cities of Metro Manila such as Quezon City. Violent incidents between Filipinos, beatings and stabbings, are also frequent and can pull in a foreigner who happens to be passing.
- Typhoons and volcanoes — Tropical storms and typhoons are frequent from June to December, bringing flooding and blocked traffic, and forecasts cannot always predict the track and intensity accurately. The archipelago sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire: excursions on active volcanoes such as Pinatubo or Mayon demand great care because of falling rock, avalanches, ash bursts and sudden steam eruptions, and should only be done with authorised local guides.
Before you rely on this
This is our summary of advice written by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Italian travellers, published on 23 March 2026. We summarise in good faith, but we cannot guarantee it is accurate, current or complete, and we take no responsibility for decisions made on the basis of it. Rules change without notice and are applied by officials at the border, not by websites. Always read the original source and the travel advice your own government publishes for Philippines before you travel. GuideMeet has no way of checking whether an individual guide meets any standard mentioned here — ask them directly.
Source: Viaggiare Sicuri — Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, updated 23 March 2026. Last checked by GuideMeet on 2026-09-20.