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ATMs In The Philippines

ATMs In The Philippines

Philippines ATM Travel Guide

ATMs in The Philippines have a reputation for being unreliable as there can be issues with the computer links, or the machines can run out of money.

If there are no ATMs close by, the ATMs in The Philippines are not working with your card, or you want to avoid paying ATM fees / make larger withdrawals, check back here for our guide below. It explains how you can send yourself money online and pick it up at an authorized local cash pick up point.

It is a very similar process to buying something online with your debit card and is probably the quickest way to send money to yourself in The Philippines.

There’s also currently a promo code so you pay NO FEE on your first money transfer.

As this method is especially useful in many locations in The Philippines, we have provided a separate guide for each of these (click link for destination specific guide):

El Nido, Palawan

General Luna, Siargao

Culion, Palawan

Coron, Palawan

Port Barton, Palawan

Oslob, Cebu

Donsol, Sorsogon

Cuyo, Palawan

Balabac, Palawan

Samal, Davao

San Vicente, Palawan

If the destination you’re looking for is not on the list above, follow The Philippines country guide below.

Philippines ATM Fees & General Information

All ATMs in The Philippines charge fees. These usually range from 200 to 300 Peso, with the standalone machines in shops and tourist areas also taking a surprisingly high commission with the currency exchange rate they offer. Be aware of Euro brand machines in particular as you may be paying up to 15% in weighted currency exchange rates and fees combined.
You will also probably get charged a fee by your own bank.

Having a Wise (formerly TransferWise) MasterCard can help reduce your home bank fees and gives a great exchange rate on purchases. With their borderless account / card you can hold your money in more than 40 currencies and use the debit card to get your cash out with low conversion fees and zero transaction fees. Click here for more info.

Withdrawal limits depend on the bank, and even vary as the cash point runs low.
They are usually between 10,000 and 20,000 Pesos, meaning fees from multiple withdrawals can really add up.
It’s also worth noting that in small villages, cash machines may have limited funds available.
With the method of sending yourself money to The Philippines outlined below, you can send much more than ATM withdrawal limits and avoid having to make multiple withdrawals and the associated fees.

Major hotels take debit/credit cards, but cheaper accommodations, tourist sites and restaurants tend to only take cash. It’s best to have small denominations as change can be a problem in smaller businesses.

You’ll find Visa and MasterCard are equally accepted by ATMs in The Philippines.

Unfortunately, ATM fraud in The Philippines is becoming more common with the introduction of more private/standalone cash points. Check out our Travel Money Tips for what to look out for and more general information covering pre-trip planning, fees, scams, and general safety.

Getting Cash Without Using The ATMs In The Philippines:

– Send Money To The Philippines & Pick It Up Locally

With so many overseas workers sending money home to their families, there are lots of local cash pick up points to collect these funds.

In a similar way, you can use your ATM card (debit/credit) or bank details to securely send yourself funds online through a reputable International money transfer service. Our guide introduces an online service that has a partnership with domestic money transfer agents in The Philippines where you can pick up your money within a few hours.

This means when there’s no ATM you can still withdraw cash within a few hours, and what’s more, it’s convenient, safe and cheaper than paying ATM withdrawal fees.

There’s also currently a promo code so you pay NO FEE on your first money transfer.

Philippines ATM

Check HERE to see if there is a local authorized cash pick-up point where you are. This list is not exhaustive, so if you can’t see one close to where you are, it’s always worth asking a friendly local if there’s a branch of any the following pick up points nearby.

Choose from the following:

  • Branches of The Metrobank, LBC, Palawan Pawnshop and PS Bank network:
    • MetroBank
    • LBC
    • Palawan Pawnshop (Except for Port Barton where the local agent only processes domestic transfers)
    • PS Bank
  • Branches of The Banco de Oro network:
    • Banco de Oro (BDO)
    • BDO Remit in SM Malls
    • RD Pawnshops
  • Branches of Mlhuillier:
    • Cebuana Lhuillier
    • Bayad Center
    • Bank of Commerce
    • TrueMoney (only branches authorised for international remittance)

Once you have identified your nearest pick up point, simply follow the step-by-step guide below.

– Step By Step Guide…incl fee free promo code

Note: The process is quicker than the detailed guide suggests. It is currently possible to send from 50 countries, however, Israel and a few others are not yet included due to local government policies

  1. To begin, click World Remit LTD
    (IMPORTANT: If you don’t see ‘Philippines’ in the Choose a Country To Send To list, this is because you must first choose which overseas country to send money from. The “Send From” option can be found at the top of the page on PC/Laptop. On mobile it is the last option in the drop down menu at the top of the page represented by the 3 horizontal lines)
  2. Once You have chosen ‘Philippines’ as the Country To Send To, click “Get Started”
  3. On the next page make sure the Cash Pickup tab is ticked and click “Continue”
  4. On the next page, where it says “Select a cash pickup payout network” choose your preferred option:
    – Mlhuillier
    – Cebuana Lhuillier, Bank of Commerce, Bayad Center or TrueMoney
    – MetroBank, LBC, PS Bank or Palawan (For Palawan Pawnshop)
    – BDO, BDO Remit in SM Malls or RD Pawnshops
  5. Enter the amount to send in your currency or receive in Peso. The exchange rate & fee (which you can remove with a promo code later) will automatically show. Once you’re happy click “Continue”. You are then prompted to register / create an account.
    There is no need for a referral code on this page as you will apply your fee-free promo code on the payment page as you process your money transfer.
  6. Once registered you will input details of who you are sending the money to, so for the recipient, put yourself (as your name appears on your Passport) and use the address of your current accommodation. You will also be required to provide a local mobile number, however if you don’t have one, people have successfully used all zeros, or asked their accommodation to use their number.
  7. When it comes to payment details, it is important to make sure your name and address match the name on your Debit card and the billing address is used. Don’t forget to use the promotion code “FREE” (without quotes) on the payment page to get your first transfer FEE-FREE!
    If your card payment fails for any reason, select the Sofort option and pay using your online banking log-in details.
  8. Almost instantly you will receive a welcome email (don’t worry if this does not arrive) and a confirmation email of your transfer informing you to wait for a further email. In most cases this takes 10-30 minutes (longer if paying via bank details & not debit card or your financial situation is complicated). The final email will say whether identity / regulatory checks have been completed and inform you if your transfer is available to pick up. Note: Sometimes further information may be required from you before they can process the transfer in order to comply with regulatory requirements, however this is unlikely in most cases.
  9. Once complete just go to the pickup point (the closest branch of whichever payout network you chose)
    -For Branches of Mlhuillier or Cebuana Lhuillier, Bayad Center, Bank of Commerce and TrueMoney: show your Passport and the 8-digit transaction reference number.
    -For MetroBank, LBC, PS Bank or Palawan Pawnshop show your Passport and Quote “Metrobank” and the 8-digit transaction reference number.
    -For BDO, BDO Remit in SM Malls, and RD Pawnshops show your Passport and quote “BDO” and the 8-digit transaction reference number.

We update this guide every month or so, however, if you have any feedback to help keep this guide up-to-date or make it more comprehensive and easier for others to follow, please Message us on Facebook

Sending Money To A Bank Account Instead

You can also use the above method to quickly transfer money to an overseas bank account, perhaps to pay for your accommodation or an activity. The promo code above for NO FEES on your first money transfer also applies for these transactions.
Click HERE for this service.
IMPORTANT: If you don’t see ‘Philippines’ in the Choose a Country To Send To list, this is because you must first choose which overseas country to send money from. The “Send From” option can be found at the top of the page on PC/Laptop. On mobile it is the last option in the drop down menu at the top of the page represented by the 3 horizontal lines.
Once You have chosen ‘Philippines’ as the Country To Send To, click “Get Started”
On the next page make sure the ‘Bank Transfer’ tab is ticked, click “Continue” and proceed with your transfer. Don’t forget to use the promotion code “FREE” (without quotes) on the payment page to get your first transfer FEE-FREE!
For more information visit this FAQs section.

Wise, formerly TransferWise is another service that also offers bank transfers. If you are new to the service, and follow THIS LINK, you will automatically pay NO FEES on your first transfer of up to £500 (or the equivalent amount in any other currency).
Arguably the best thing about them is that they give you the mid-market rate on the currency exchange, so it’s much cheaper than a traditional bank to bank wire transfer. You won’t need any SWIFT or IBAN numbers, just the name of the account holder, their account number, the bank name and branch location.

Useful Links:

Here are two useful links to find the nearest ATMs in The Philippines : Visa / MasterCard
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philippines