JoHo

What about communication?

• Filipino and English are the official languages of the Philippines. Up until the late 1980s, when president Aquino decreed the name change, the national language was known as Tagalog. With the name change also came the inclusion of more English and Spanish words and phrases as well as western letters and sounds such as j, c, x, z, and f.

Words in Filipino

• Hello: Kumustá
• Good morning: Umaga
• Good evening: Gabí
• Bye: Babay
• Yes: Oo
• No: Hindí
• Please: Lang
• Thank you: Salamat
• You’re welcome: Waláng anumán
• Excuse me: Sori

Communicating with home

• Landline: local calls made from a landline are very cheap. International calls made from landlines are also very reasonable. Calls made from hotels however, can be very expensive. Phone cards are another affordable and popular option, both for local and international calls.
• Mobile: mobile phones are widely used and local SIM cards for are easy to find. Shop around for the best deal.
• Internet: internet access ranges from fast and reliable in larger cities and populated areas to sketchy and intermittent in more remote areas. Most restaurants, hotels and bars will offer Wi-Fi, providing you’re in a fairly touristy area. Internet cafes are also still popular and relatively easy to come by in larger cities and populated areas.