MANILA – The Bureau of Customs (BOC) reminded travelers of existing rules on bringing in and taking out Philippine and foreign currencies.

Under current regulations, travelers may carry foreign currency, including cash and similar travel funds. However, if the total amount exceeds USD10,000 or its equivalent in other foreign currencies, the full amount must be declared to the BOC upon arrival or departure.

The declaration may be completed through the government’s e-Travel system before travel or at designated BOC counters at airports and seaports.

PHP50,000 limit for Philippine currency

For Philippine currency, travelers are allowed to bring in or take out up to PHP50,000 per person without prior approval.

Any amount exceeding the PHP50,000 limit requires written authorization from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) and must be properly declared to the BOC.

Requests for BSP authorization must be filed before departure from the country of origin and may only be granted for specific purposes, such as numismatics, currency awareness activities (e.g., museums, exhibits, literary materials), and testing, calibration, or configuration of money counting and sorting machines.

The rule covers Philippine banknotes, coins, checks, and other peso-denominated monetary instruments.

The BOC warned that amounts exceeding the PHP50,000 limit without proper BSP authorization are subject to confiscation.

BOC Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno said the policy aims to guide travelers and protect the financial system.

“These rules have long been in place to promote transparency and protect both the travelling public and the integrity of our financial system. Declaring currency is a standard procedure and does not prevent travelers from carrying lawful amounts of cash. Our goal is to make the process clear, consistent, and convenient for everyone,” Nepomuceno said.

The BOC encouraged travelers to complete Customs and currency declarations through the e-Travel platform ahead of arrival or departure to ensure faster processing.