Calling the Philippines
Calling the Philippines from the UAE
The UAE is home to one of the largest overseas Filipino communities, with hundreds of thousands of OFWs across Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah. This guide covers the +63 country code, how to reach a landline or a mobile, what a minute really costs, the free options and their limits, and how to call straight from your browser with no app and no SIM.
How to dial a Philippines number from the UAE
The Philippines country code is +63. From the UAE you dial the exit code 00, then 63, then the number without its leading zero. From a browser service like Phonecall you simply enter +63 and the number, and the exit code is added for you.
Mobile numbers begin, after +63, with a 9, so +63 9XX and the rest of the number. The main mobile networks are Globe, Smart and DITO. Landlines use an area code: Metro Manila is 2, Cebu is 32 and Davao is 82.
- Any Philippine mobile: +63 9XX XXX XXXX
- Metro Manila landline: +63 2 XXXX XXXX
- Cebu landline: +63 32 XXX XXXX
- Davao landline: +63 82 XXX XXXX
- From the UAE the classic way: 00 63 then the number without the leading zero
How to call a landline in the Philippines
Landlines still matter for offices, hospitals, banks and many older relatives at home. To reach one, dial +63, then the area code (2 for Metro Manila, 32 for Cebu, 82 for Davao), then the local number. Metro Manila landlines now use eight digits after the area code.
A browser call connects to landlines and mobiles alike, so you can reach a fixed home phone that no messaging app can. The landline rate is shown before you dial and is billed per second.
How much does calling the Philippines cost?
The rate is fixed and shown on screen before you dial: roughly $0.46 per minute to Philippine mobiles and about $0.36 to landlines. Billing is per second rather than rounded up to the minute, with no subscription and no monthly fee, and your credit never expires.
UAE operators bill the Philippines as an international destination, and per-minute charges add up over a long call home. Here the price is fixed in advance and shown before the call connects, and you top up with a normal UAE Visa or Mastercard.
Calling the Philippines for free, and where free falls short
Calls over Messenger, WhatsApp and Viber are free and widely used by OFWs. The catch is that they only connect to someone who has the same app open on a smartphone with internet. A landline, an office, or an older relative without a smartphone cannot be reached for free. Some UAE networks also limit app-based voice calling.
A browser call reaches any Philippine number, mobile or landline, with the other person simply answering their normal phone. Every new Phonecall account also gets one free call of up to 60 seconds, so you can confirm a number works before spending anything.
See live per-minute rates
Why calling the Philippines with Phonecall works well
Exact price before the call
The per-minute rate for the specific Philippine number is shown before connecting, with no hidden surcharges.
Separate mobile and landline rates
Calls to mobiles and to landlines are billed separately, and you see exactly what your number costs.
No subscriptions, no contracts
You pay only for the minutes you talk: no monthly fee, no contract, and credit that does not expire.
Works in the browser, no app
Just open the site in Chrome, Safari, Firefox or Edge. Nothing to download, no SIM required, and the other person answers on a normal phone.
Frequently asked questions
How do I dial a Philippines number from the UAE?
Dial the exit code 00, then 63, then the number without its leading zero. For a mobile that is 00 63 9XX XXX XXXX; for a Metro Manila landline it is 00 63 2 XXXX XXXX. From a browser service, just enter +63 and the number.
What is the time difference between the UAE and the Philippines?
The Philippines is on UTC+8 and the UAE on UTC+4, so the Philippines is four hours ahead. When it is 6 PM in Dubai, it is 10 PM in Manila. Neither changes for daylight saving, so the gap stays the same all year.