Consular assistance
British Embassy contacts for the Philippines: when someone dies abroad
If a British national dies in the Philippines, the Embassy is usually the first official body to contact. A death must be registered with the local authorities in the Philippines before a body or ashes can leave the country. Consular staff will register the death with UK authorities, issue consular documents and give you a list of local funeral directors. They cannot meet any cost, arrange the repatriation, or authorise release of the body. If the person who died was not British, contact the embassy or consulate of their own country instead. The local emergency number is 911.
Emergency numbers
FCDO 24-hour line (from UK)
+44 (0)20 7008 5000British Embassy in the Philippines
+63 2 8858 2200Handling a death in the Philippines
Local emergency number: 911
Documentation language: Filipino (Tagalog) and English (both official). English widely spoken.. English: Very widely spoken. The Philippines is one of the largest English-speaking countries in the world. Official documents issued in English. Hospital and police staff generally speak English, though provincial areas may be less fluent.
Healthcare: Good private hospitals in Metro Manila (St. Luke's, Makati Medical Center, The Medical City). Provincial and island healthcare varies from adequate to very basic. Rural health facilities are limited. Island healthcare may be rudimentary.
British community: ~10,000-20,000 British residents in the Philippines
Most common causes of British deaths here: Natural causes (elderly retirees); Drowning (island beaches, diving accidents); Road traffic accidents (chaotic traffic, motorcycle accidents); Typhoon-related deaths (June-November typhoon season); Diving accidents (popular dive destinations); Pre-existing medical conditions
Areas needing extra care: Metro Manila: Traffic accidents, natural causes; Cebu: Tourist volume, diving, drowning; Boracay: Tourist volume, drowning; Palawan: Adventure tourism, diving, remote location; Mindanao: Security concerns in some areas; Visayas islands: Typhoon exposure, limited medical facilities
Always verify numbers before calling
Official lists for the Philippines
Published by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office for British nationals. We are not connected to the firms listed.
- Translators and interpreters, for certified translation of the death certificate and permits
- Lawyers, where an estate or an investigation needs local legal advice
Embassy phone numbers change. Confirm current details at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/philippines before a trip. The FCDO 24-hour line (+44 (0)20 7008 5000) is the most reliable point of contact in an emergency.
Contact details
British Embassy and consulates in the Philippines
British Embassy
Manila
120 Upper McKinley Road, McKinley Hill, Taguig City, Metro Manila 1634
+63 2 8858 2200 Official websiteWhat you need to know
What the British post in the Philippines can and cannot do
The British post covering Philippines registers the death and can give you a list of local funeral directors. It cannot pay any repatriation cost, arrange the repatriation itself, release the body, or shorten a local timeline.
The full list of what consular staff can and cannot do applies in every country.
Death registration in the Philippines
The Embassy can register the death separately under UK law. This is optional and does not replace the local certificate, but some families find the UK death certificate useful for administrative purposes.
Typical timeline from the Philippines
What the Embassy can and cannot pay for
Consular staff in the Philippines cannot pay repatriation costs, funeral director fees, or any local charges, and cannot lend money to cover them.
They can give you a list of local funeral directors, contact next of kin, and help you reach an insurer. If there is no insurance and no family funds, they can explain what limited options exist.
What repatriation from the Philippines involvesNeed help bringing someone home from the Philippines?
We can take over the arrangements from wherever you are in the process, and bring your loved one home to the UK, Ireland or any other country. Send us the details and we will come back to you with a quote.