business phone · 7 min read
How to Call the Philippines from the US
Dial 011 + 63 + area code + number to call the Philippines from the US. Full guide: Manila area codes, mobile prefixes, time zones, costs, and BPO tips.
To call the Philippines from the US, dial 011 + 63 + area code + local number. For Philippine mobile numbers, dial 011-63 followed by the full 10-digit mobile number (which starts with 9 — drop the leading 0). Example: 011-63-917-123-4567.
Manila landline example: 011-63-2-1234-5678. The 011 is the US exit code; 63 is the Philippines country code; 2 is Manila’s single-digit area code.
This guide covers every variant — NCR landlines, mobile prefixes, city area codes, time zones, calling costs, and the business case for US companies with Philippine-based teams. For international calling basics, see our guide on how to call the UK from the US for a comparable walkthrough.
How to dial the Philippines from the US
Follow these five steps from any US phone or VoIP device:
- Dial 011 — the US international exit code. Every call leaving the US starts with 011. On a smartphone, long-press 0 to enter + instead; it works identically.
- Dial 63 — the Philippines country code assigned by the ITU.
- Dial the area code without its leading 0. Philippine area codes are written locally with a leading 0 (e.g., 02 for Manila, 032 for Cebu). Drop that 0 when dialing from abroad.
- Dial the local subscriber number exactly as given (7–8 digits for landlines).
- Press call.
For mobile numbers: Philippine mobiles are 10 digits and always start with 9 in local format (written as 0917-XXX-XXXX in the Philippines). Drop the leading 0 and dial 011-63-917-XXX-XXXX.
The full pattern: 011 + 63 + [area code without leading 0] + [local number]
If you see a number already written in international format (+63 2 1234 5678), replace the + with 011 from a US landline, or dial it as-is from a US mobile.
Philippine area codes by major city
Philippine area codes range from 1 to 4 digits. Manila’s code — just the digit 2 — is one of the shortest area codes in the world. Drop the local leading 0 in all cases when dialing from the US.
| City / Region | Area Code | US dial format |
|---|---|---|
| Manila / Metro Manila (NCR) | 2 | 011-63-2-XXXX-XXXX |
| Cebu City | 32 | 011-63-32-XXX-XXXX |
| Davao City | 82 | 011-63-82-XXX-XXXX |
| Iloilo City | 33 | 011-63-33-XXX-XXXX |
| Bacolod City | 34 | 011-63-34-XXX-XXXX |
| Baguio City | 74 | 011-63-74-XXX-XXXX |
| Cagayan de Oro | 88 | 011-63-88-XXX-XXXX |
| Zamboanga City | 62 | 011-63-62-XXX-XXXX |
| Tagbilaran (Bohol) | 38 | 011-63-38-XXX-XXXX |
| General Santos | 83 | 011-63-83-XXX-XXXX |
Source: National Telecommunications Commission of the Philippines (NTC). The Philippines has over 70 area codes covering all regions; this table covers the highest-volume urban destinations.
Philippine mobile carriers and prefixes
Philippine mobile numbers are 10 digits and begin with 9 (local format has a leading 0: 09XX-XXX-XXXX). The first three digits after the country code identify the carrier — useful for verifying a contact’s network before SMS or WhatsApp outreach.
Globe Telecom prefixes: 915, 916, 917, 926, 927, 935, 936, 937
Smart Communications / PLDT prefixes: 908, 909, 910, 912, 918, 919, 920, 921, 928, 929, 930, 938, 939, 946, 947, 948, 949, 998, 999
Sun Cellular prefixes: 922, 923, 924, 925, 932, 933, 934, 943, 944, 973, 974
To dial any of these from the US: 011-63 + [10-digit number without leading 0].
Example (Globe): 011-63-917-123-4567. Example (Smart): 011-63-912-456-7890.
The Philippines has over 142 million mobile subscriptions — roughly 122% of its population — making it one of the most mobile-first countries globally. Most Philippine contacts prefer mobile over landline.
Time zones — Philippine Standard Time (PHT)
The Philippines observes Philippine Standard Time (PHT), UTC+8, year-round. The country does not observe Daylight Saving Time, which means the gap with US time zones shifts by one hour when the US changes clocks in spring and fall.
| US Time Zone | Hours behind PHT (standard) | Hours behind PHT (summer DST) |
|---|---|---|
| Eastern (ET) | 13 hours | 12 hours |
| Central (CT) | 14 hours | 13 hours |
| Mountain (MT) | 15 hours | 14 hours |
| Pacific (PT) | 16 hours | 15 hours |
Quick reference (ET-based): 8 AM Monday ET = 9 PM Monday PHT. 6 PM Friday ET = 7 AM Saturday PHT.
For US businesses with Philippine-based teams or BPO partners, the practical overlap window is 6–9 AM US Eastern, which lands at 7–10 PM Philippine time — early evening for PH staff, start of day for US East Coast.
US to Philippines calling costs
| Method | Typical cost per minute |
|---|---|
| AT&T / T-Mobile / Verizon (no plan) | $2.49–$4.00 |
| US carrier international add-on | $0.10–$0.50 |
| Calling cards (prepaid) | $0.09–$0.17 |
| Skype (pay-as-you-go) | ~$0.10 |
| VoIP providers (DialPhone, JustCall, etc.) | $0.04–$0.20 |
| WhatsApp / Viber / Messenger (Wi-Fi) | Free |
Standard US carrier rates to the Philippines without an add-on plan are among the highest international rates — $2.49–$4.00/min from the major three. For teams that call Philippine numbers regularly, switching to a business VoIP platform pays for itself within the first month.
DialPhone’s business phone plans include competitive per-minute rates to Philippine destinations.
Calling Philippine mobile vs. landline
The dial format from the US is identical for mobile and landline — both use 011 + 63 + number. The difference is structural:
- Landlines: Area code (1–4 digits, no leading 0) + subscriber number (5–8 digits). Total digits after country code: 8–9.
- Mobiles: No area code. 10-digit number starting with 9. Total digits after country code: 10.
If you have a number beginning with 02, 032, 082 etc., it’s a landline — strip the 0.
If you have a number beginning with 09, it’s a mobile — strip the 0, dial 011-63-9XX-XXX-XXXX.
Philippine landlines underwent a major renumbering in 2019 when NTC expanded Metro Manila landlines from 7 to 8 digits. If you have an old 7-digit Manila number, prepend a 8 (e.g., 123-4567 became 8123-4567). Confirm with your contact if older records are involved.
SMS to the Philippines and the BPO business case
The Philippines is the world’s largest business process outsourcing (BPO) destination, employing over 1.5 million people in customer service, IT support, healthcare billing, and back-office roles for US companies. Reliable US-to-Philippines calling and SMS is a core operational requirement for these businesses.
For SMS, use the same E.164 format: +63 followed by the 10-digit mobile number (no leading 0). Philippine carriers deliver international SMS reliably; WhatsApp and Viber are also widely used for business messaging in the Philippines.
US businesses routing customer service to Philippine contact centers need more than low rates. Outbound calls from US numbers to Manila offices should carry verified caller ID to avoid being flagged as spam on Philippine carrier networks.
DialPhone’s STIR/SHAKEN A-attestation applies to outbound calls from your US DialPhone number — your Manila office sees a verified, identified US business number rather than an anonymous international call. This matters for BPO operations where agents need to trust inbound calls from US supervisors, and for outbound US-to-PH client calls that need to land clean.
See DialPhone pricing for plans that include Philippines calling, or explore our AI receptionist for automating inbound call handling on US-side numbers that connect to PH-based teams.
Get a business phone with Philippines calling
For US businesses with Philippine teams, BPO partnerships, or customers in the Filipino diaspora, a business VoIP system beats per-call carrier rates at any meaningful call volume.
Start a free trial to see DialPhone’s Philippines rates and international calling capabilities. For teams porting existing US numbers, our number porting guide covers the process end-to-end.
Learn more: DialPhone business phone · DialPhone pricing
For more international calling guides, see how to call the UK from the US. For technical background on caller ID verification, see STIR/SHAKEN explained.
Calling Philippines FAQ
Calling Philippines FAQ
What is the Philippines country code?
The Philippines country code is +63. From a US landline or mobile, you reach it by dialing the US exit code 011 first, making the full international prefix 011-63.
On a smartphone, you can long-press the 0 key to enter a + sign and dial +63 directly — both formats connect identically.
How do I call Manila from the US?
Manila (Metro Manila / NCR) uses area code 2. From the US, dial 011 + 63 + 2 + the 8-digit local number.
Example: 011-63-2-1234-5678. Manila's area code is just one digit — drop the leading 0 that appears in local Philippine format (02 XXXX XXXX becomes 2 XXXX XXXX when dialing internationally).
What is the cheapest way to call the Philippines from the US?
Free apps (WhatsApp, Viber, Facebook Messenger) are cheapest over Wi-Fi. For carrier calls, calling cards run $0.09–$0.17 per minute.
VoIP providers like DialPhone offer competitive per-minute rates on US-to-Philippines routes — significantly cheaper than standard US mobile international add-ons (AT&T charges up to $4.00/min, Verizon $2.49/min, T-Mobile $3.00/min without an add-on plan).
What is the time difference between the US and the Philippines?
The Philippines observes Philippine Standard Time (PHT), which is UTC+8 year-round with no Daylight Saving Time.
From the US East Coast (ET), the Philippines is 13 hours ahead. From the US West Coast (PT), it is 16 hours ahead. Example: 8 AM Monday ET = 9 PM Monday PHT. Best US business calling window: 6–9 AM ET (7–10 PM PHT).
Do I need to dial an area code when calling a Philippine mobile number?
No separate area code is needed for Philippine mobile numbers. Mobile numbers are 10 digits and begin with 9.
From the US, dial 011 + 63 + the 10-digit mobile number without its leading 0. Example: a Philippine mobile listed as 0917-123-4567 becomes 011-63-917-123-4567.
Why does my call to the Philippines not connect?
The most common reasons: forgetting the US exit code 011, leaving the leading 0 in the area code (dial 2 for Manila, not 02), or dialing a 10-digit mobile with a leading 0 instead of dropping it.
Also check that international calling is enabled on your US line — most US carriers disable it by default for fraud control. Enable it in your account settings or use a VoIP provider that includes international calling.
What is the Manila area code?
Manila (and Metro Manila / NCR broadly) uses area code 2. It is one of the few single-digit area codes in the world.
In local Philippine format you write 02, but when calling from the US you drop the 0 and dial just 2 after the country code 63. Full example from the US: 011-63-2-XXXX-XXXX.
Can I send SMS to the Philippines from the US?
Yes. International SMS to the Philippines works from US carriers and VoIP platforms that support SMS. Use the same E.164 format: +63 followed by the 10-digit Philippine mobile number.
Business messaging (SMS for order updates, appointment reminders, support tickets) to Philippine mobile numbers is fully supported on DialPhone's business phone plans.
About the author
Growth Operations Lead at DialPhone
Darshan leads Growth Operations at DialPhone, where he owns three interconnected programs: the comparison content operation, the open VoIP Pricing Dataset, and the test-call methodology used to verify every pricing claim published on the site.
His research process starts with hands-on product trials and live vendor quotes — not marketing pages. Pricing figures are cross-checked against actual invoices and re-verified on a rolling quarterly cycle, with the underlying dataset kept public for independent re-verification. That dataset now covers 40+ VoIP and virtual-number providers across the US and Canada market.
Darshan also leads DialPhone's AI receptionist evaluation program, running structured test-call scenarios across English, Spanish, and French to assess transcription accuracy, intent routing, and escalation behavior. Methodology notes and raw scoring are archived in the research section.
For factual corrections or dataset discrepancies, Darshan can be reached at the DialPhone editorial address. Verified corrections are published as errata with a changelog date — no silent edits.