Have you finalized your business trip to the Philippines or your nightlife trip to Manila, arranged your flight tickets and local SIM card, and felt relieved thinking, “My preparations are perfect now”?

Actually, with just that, you might get caught up in fatal troubles locally, such as “I can’t watch TVer or Japanese Netflix in my hotel room” or “My credit card was fraudulently used after connecting to Wi-Fi.”

The essential item to safely and comfortably survive the harsh internet environment of the Philippines is a “VPN.”

However, even if you search online, you will only see biased articles for affiliate purposes saying things like “Free VPNs are absolutely no good” or “Sign up for this expensive paid VPN.”

I have strictly selected only the genuinely recommended apps actually installed on my own smartphone. If you want to realize a safe and comfortable stay in the Philippines while keeping unnecessary expenses down, please read to the end.

Super Easy Explanation of How a VPN (Virtual Private Network) Works

VPN stands for “Virtual Private Network,” but there is absolutely no need to memorize bothersome foreign words. The image is a mechanism that creates a “dedicated tunnel where the contents can absolutely never be seen” between your smartphone and the internet.

2 Things a VPN Does for You

  • Communication Encryption – Protects the contents from hackers even on suspicious free Wi-Fi
  • Changing IP Address – Allows you to disguise yourself as “Currently connecting to the internet from Japan” while in the Philippines

For example, if you open a Japanese TVer app as it is from a hotel in Manila, it will be exposed that “You are accessing from the Philippines,” and the video playback will be blocked.

However, if you launch the VPN app and connect to a “Japanese server,” your internet address switches to Japan. Because of this, the TVer side misunderstands that it is “a normal access from within Japan” and plays the video as usual.

Setup Finishes in an Instant Even for BeginnersHearing just the mechanism makes it seem like difficult settings like programming are necessary, but the actual operation is surprisingly easy. You just install the app on your smartphone and tap the “Connect” button on the screen. Just with that, your internet environment becomes the same as Japan, and simultaneously, a powerful security shield is activated.

The communication environment in Manila is incomparably more unstable than in Japan, and Wi-Fi with weak security is flying around. To protect yourself while securing an environment to kill time at the hotel, VPNs are changing from a “secret trick known to those in the know” to “common sense for traveling to Manila.”

What You Can Do Using a VPN in the Philippines (Benefits)

Even if you understand in your head that “it seems necessary somehow,” if you cannot imagine how it will specifically be useful locally, you will not feel like going out of your way to install the app.

Here, while mixing in circumstances unique to Manila, we will explain the benefits of having a VPN on your smartphone locally, narrowing it down to 3 points.

Bypassing Overseas Blocks on Japanese Video Streaming Services (Netflix, TVer, etc.)

Many people have experienced the despair of arriving at a hotel in the Philippines, taking a breath, and opening TVer thinking “Let’s watch a Japanese variety show,” only to have an error screen displayed.

This is due to a mechanism called a “geo-block” (regional restriction). Japanese video streaming services and catch-up broadcasts of TV stations are strictly restricted due to copyright reasons so that they can only be accessed from IP addresses within Japan.

Main Services Restricted from Overseas Access

  • TVer – Catch-up broadcasts of Japanese TV programs are generally completely blocked
  • Netflix and Amazon Prime – The lineup changes to the Philippine version and Japanese works decrease drastically
  • U-NEXT, Hulu, ABEMA – Access from overseas IPs is shut out
  • DAZN – Viewing sports broadcasts intended for Japan is impossible

The traffic jams in Metro Manila are world-famous. During a hellish traffic jam where cars do not move at all on EDSA, or when you cannot leave the hotel due to a sudden squall, whether or not you can kill time while watching Japanese videos makes a huge difference to your mental health.

If you connect to a Japanese server using a VPN, you can easily break through troublesome geo-blocks and enjoy video content exactly as you do when in Japan.

Protect Yourself from Information Leakage Risks Lurking in Manila’s Free Wi-Fi

In the Philippines, free Wi-Fi is flying around everywhere, such as cafes in modern areas like Makati and BGC (Bonifacio Global City), hotel lobbies, and even inside KTVs around Malate.

Since it saves data capacity, I understand the feeling of wanting to connect when you find it, but there is a very large pitfall lurking here.

Many local free Wi-Fi networks are in an unencrypted, defenseless state. If a malicious person is lurking on the same network, they can easily peek at the passwords and credit card information you entered, as well as private exchanges on SNS.

The Reality of Wi-Fi Circumstances in the Nightlife DistrictAsking a cast member for the password inside a KTV to connect to the store’s Wi-Fi is a standard flow, but public network security is mostly full of holes. Opening internet banking under the momentum of being drunk or making a credit card payment to change a flight ticket can be said to be an extremely dangerous act.

By passing through a VPN, your communication data is protected by a powerfully encrypted tunnel. Even in the unlikely event that communications are intercepted via free Wi-Fi, there is no worry about the contents being deciphered by hackers. Protecting yourself by yourself is the ironclad rule of staying in Manila.

Break Through Usage Restrictions on Japanese Internet Banking and Domestic-Only Services

Not being able to watch videos is an issue on the level of “being bored,” but this is a serious problem involving money.

Cases are rapidly increasing where attempting to log in to Japanese internet banking or credit card member sites from an overseas IP address is deemed unauthorized access, resulting in locks being placed on accounts.

  1. Suddenly wanted to raise the credit card limit locally
  2. An urgent transfer procedure from a Japanese account to another account became necessary
  3. Want to respond immediately to sudden market fluctuations on a securities company app

When facing such a situation, if the account is locked, you will be forced to undergo the very troublesome procedure of making an international call to a Japanese customer center to verify your identity. Amidst the barriers of language and environment locally, this trouble becomes a fatal stress.

By using a VPN and routing through a Japanese server, these strict security filters of financial institutions can be easily cleared as “normal access from within the country.” Whether for a long stay or even a short trip of a few days, an environment where you can access important Japanese assets and services at any time should absolutely be secured.

Recommended VPNs Genuinely Used by the Author with a Long History of Staying in Manila

Even if countless apps are introduced to you like “10 Recommended VPNs!”, you will only end up getting confused about which one to choose, right?

Here, we will strictly select and introduce only two VPN apps that the author, who has a long history of staying in Manila, “actually has installed on a smartphone and genuinely still uses.”

The paid app used as the main one and the free app used as a sub. We will explain the merits and demerits of each without hiding anything.

The world’s largest-class paid service, “NordVPN,” is the one the author pays for as the main tool when traveling to the Philippines, always keeping it running on smartphones and PCs.

To state the conclusion first, I trust it enough to declare, “If you want to use the internet safely and stress-free in Manila, this is the only choice.”

 

Merits of NordVPN (The Good Points)

    • Watchable Even on Hotel TVs (Super Important) – You can install the app directly on Amazon Fire TV Stick or Android TV. You can create a comfortable environment with veteran privileges, letting Japanese Netflix and TVer play continuously on the hotel’s large screen TV.
    • Military-Grade Security – Credit card payments and internet banking operations can be done completely safely even on suspicious Wi-Fi at KTVs or local cafes.
    • Overwhelming Communication Speed – Even on Manila’s extremely heavy lines, you can watch Netflix and TVer in high image quality without stopping on a Friday night.
    • Strongest Block Breakthrough Power – You are almost never rejected by Japanese video streaming services.
    • Complete Japanese Support – The peace of mind of having 24/7 Japanese chat support in the unlikely event of trouble.

Demerits of NordVPN (The Bad Points)

  • Costs Money – Naturally it is paid (However, with a long-term plan, the expense is only a few hundred yen per month, about the cost of a few bottles of San Miguel beer).
  • Too Many Features – Beginners might feel there are a bit too many functions on the settings screen, but basically, it is OK to just choose a Japanese server and press “Connect”.

With a charge of a few hundred yen, you can completely solve the “fear of information leakage” and “frustration of videos stopping” with money, and furthermore, you can make the hotel TV environment the same as Japan. If you want to spend time locally even a little more comfortably and manage your money safely, you absolutely should not skimp on an investment in NordVPN.

※ The connection screen. It connects to “Japan” with one button, so your hotel room instantly transforms into your comfortable room in Japan.

Take a look at NordVPN

[Free] Surprisingly Not Rejected! “VPN Cat”

The free app “VPN Cat,” which tends to be heavily bashed on online comparison sites as “dangerous” or “useless,” is surprisingly usable.

Merits of VPN Cat (The Good Points)

  • Completely Free – It costs no money at all, and troublesome account registration or credit card registration is unnecessary.
  • Super Simple Operation – Just open the app and tap once to connect.
  • Videos Can Be Watched Normally – In the author’s environment, TVer and others can be viewed normally without being rejected if on the hotel’s stable Wi-Fi.
Demerits and Realistic Cautions of VPN Cat (The Bad Points)

  • Opaque Security – Since the operator and the handling of communication logs are unclear, it is absolutely NO to enter credit card information or passwords while connected to KTV or hotel Wi-Fi. Please strictly limit its use to “just watching videos.”
  • Unstable Speed – During times when the line is congested, such as weekend nights, videos may stop or the image quality may become extremely rough.
  • Unusable on TV – Because VPN Cat is a smartphone app, you cannot watch Netflix or TVer on a TV.

Upon understanding the risk of personal information being extracted, if the purpose is “just watching YouTube or TVer while lounging around the hotel (acceptable even if the video stops in the worst case),” VPN Cat becomes a very handy and excellent choice.

Click here for VPN Cat

Summary of Frequently Asked Questions | Solving Doubts About the VPN Situation in the Philippines

Finally, we will answer realistic questions frequently asked by people traveling to the Philippines after introducing a VPN for the first time. Let’s clear up any uncertainties and fly off to Manila with a refreshed feeling.

Is it Not Illegal to Use a VPN in the Philippines?

To state the conclusion first, using a VPN in the Philippines is completely legal. There is absolutely no problem.

There are cases where the use of VPNs is made illegal in some countries, such as China and Russia, to strictly restrict and monitor internet communications crossing borders, but there are no such internet censorship laws in the Philippines.

Rather, foreign-affiliated companies with offices in Makati and BGC, as well as many businessmen visiting on business trips, use VPNs on a daily basis as a security measure to protect confidential information.

There is absolutely no need to worry that “If I use a VPN app at a local airport or cafe, I might be caught by the police,” so please use it on your smartphone or PC with peace of mind.

Is a VPN Necessary Even If Using a Local SIM or eSIM?

This is also a very common misunderstanding, but to state the conclusion first, “a local SIM (eSIM)” and “a VPN” have completely different roles, so both are necessary.

Quick Explanation of the Difference Between SIM and VPN

  • Local SIM / eSIM – Secures the foundation (signal) “to connect” to the internet in the Philippines.
  • VPN App – “Disguises the current location” of the connected internet to Japan and “encrypts communication.”

Even if your smartphone connects to the internet by buying a Globe or Smart SIM card at a local airport or setting up an eSIM in Japan, your internet address remains “the Philippines.” In that state, no matter how strong the signal is, TVer and Japanese Netflix will be rejected by regional restrictions (geo-blocks) and cannot be viewed.

After connecting to the internet via a local SIM, eSIM, or hotel Wi-Fi, you further launch the VPN app and connect to a Japanese server. This combination is exactly the ultimate internet environment construction technique for staying in the Philippines.

Conclusion | Know the Real Manila and Have the Most Comfortable Stay in the Philippines!

We have explained the real local circumstances that “a VPN is essential if going to the Philippines” and how to choose wisely according to your purpose.

There is no need to be misled by extreme “free VPN bashing” on the internet, but it is a fact that you will suffer a bitter experience locally if you underestimate Manila’s uniquely unstable communication environment and the security risks lurking in the free Wi-Fi of KTVs and shopping malls.

If it is just for watching videos on a smartphone without any personal information involved, it is possible to somehow manage with the free “VPN Cat.”

However, for those who might open credit card payments or internet banking locally, or those who want to smoothly enjoy Japanese videos on the hotel TV using a Fire TV Stick, the ironclad rule of veterans who know Manila inside out is to install “NordVPN” without skimping on a few hundred yen.

To repeat one last time, make sure to finish the contract and installation of the VPN “absolutely before leaving Japan.”

Prepare a flawless internet environment and the ultimate “bulletproof vest,” and go fully enjoy the best stress-free stay in the Philippines!