The Philippines is made up of 7,641 islands and there are 7,641 reasons to love the Philippines! The OSM community in the Philippines is gearing up for a fun and mappy State of the Map 2025!
Metro Manila, home to at least 16 million people within its officially-defined metropolitan area, is not only the capital of the Philippines, but also a major center of commerce, culture, education and government in Southeast Asia. Long a crossroads between East and West, Manila is a melting pot of both Oriental and Western cultures, with Southeast Asian, Chinese, Spanish and American influences leaving their own distinct marks on the city and its people. Famous for its sunsets, Manila is known for its mix of old and new, the friendliness of its people and, most importantly, its hospitality. And we wish to extend that hospitality to OpenStreetMap enthusiasts from all over the world by bringing State of the Map here to the Philippines.
We are hosting SotM 2025 on October 3-5 at the University of the Philippines Diliman (UPD), one of the country’s premier institutions for higher learning. UP Diliman is located in Quezon City, the largest city in Metro Manila both in terms of population and land area.
There are PWD ramps and bike lanes in selected areas in QC. UPD has accessibility ramps and bike lanes inside the campus rooms in each floor.
The venues (UPD) offers a stable wifi connection in various areas. For mobile data, there are plenty of cell providers to choose from: Globe, Smart, Touch Mobile, Sun Cellular, etc. Travelers will have their option upon arrival at NAIA as globe sim registration stands can be found throughout the airport. The price range for 8GB of data for 1 week is from ₱90 - ₱120 ($1.6 - $2.2).
The Metro Manila area (which includes both QC and Manila) has a large availability of public transport options: local tricycles, jeepneys, buses, and light rails. Other private services such as taxis and ride-sharing apps (Grab, Angkas, etc.) are also available at a higher cost. Check pamasahe.club to know the updated “pamasahe” or transportation fare. By Buses/Jeep: Metro Manila has an extensive bus/jeep network that serves almost all primary to secondary level roads. Quezon City can be accessed by most buses. Fares are distance-based. By Rail Metro Manila is served by 3 light rail routes: the LRT-1, LRT-2, and MRT-3. While there is no direct access from the airport, buses along the EDSA Carousel loop share the same stops with the MRT-3.
By Taxi: Right from the airport, there are taxi stands available if you opt for their service. Taxis charge a flag down rate of ₱40 that increases with travel time and distance. Coupon taxis cost more as they charge a flat-rate to go to any point as listed in their matrix but are more cost-efficient for larger groups. Ride-share apps: Download the leading ride-sharing app, Grab, to access the multiple services they offer including ride-sharing and deliveries. Other apps for traveling around are Angkas (motorcycle), JoyRide (motorcycle and car), and Sakay.ph for public commute directions.
Suggested commuter route (UPD): Take the UBE Express bus (see bus schedule here) from the NAIA Terminal 3 to Araneta City-Cubao. Board the MRT-3 train (check your route here) at Araneta-Cubao Station and alight at North Avenue Station. Walk through Trinoma and SM North EDSA malls and find the terminal for jeepneys going to UPD. Estimated price: UBE Express (₱200/$3.6) + MRT (₱16/$0.30) + Jeep (₱15/$0.30) = ₱231/$4.2
Suggested private car route (UPD): From NAIA, you can travel through EDSA following the avenue and turning right on Quezon Avenue towards the Quezon Memorial Circle. Take the exit to Commonwealth Avenue then turn right towards the UPD sign. Alternatively, you can take the Skyway highway system (tolled road) exiting at Quezon Avenue and continuing as directed above. Use either Google Maps or Waze app to calculate and pick your routes.