Exploring the Philippines with Kids: 6 Travel Safety Tips You Should Know

Mommy, you know that look on your kids’ faces when you finally pull up at the beach or at lola’s house in the province? Every trip gives them something new to discover: a different town, food they’ve never tried, or a fiesta they’ll talk about for weeks. While these shared adventures help your child grow in confidence and independence, travel safety makes sure your family enjoys them with peace of mind.

Here are six safety tips for your family while traveling around the Philippines, covering the beach, the heat, roadside food, crowds, and small scrapes.

1. Stay Close While Your Kids Enjoy the Water

A swim at the beach or the resort pool is often the part your kids look forward to most, and it's also where you need to watch them closely. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), drowning is the fourth leading cause of death for children aged 1 to 4 and the third for kids aged 5 to 14 around the world. Put simply, the water is where your attention protects your kids the most.

Keep your eyes on your kids the whole time.

Drowning is often silent and can happen in less than five minutes, Safe Kids Worldwide reports. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) suggests these habits:

• Tell your kids to always ask an adult before swimming, and to never go into the water alone.
• At big family gatherings, take turns being the “water watcher” or bantay.
• Put your phone away while it’s your turn to watch.
• Stay within arm’s reach of younger kids and new swimmers, and keep a hand on them while they float and play.

Check the water before your kids jump in.

A quick look at the water helps you pick the safest spot to swim. The AAP recommends these steps:

Choose a beach with a lifeguard on duty when you can and follow any posted warnings about currents or waves.

Remind your child to face the water so they can see the waves coming in.

Don’t let them dive or jump from high spots like docks or boats. Shallow water or hidden debris can cause serious head and spine injuries.

Pack a properly fitted life jacket instead of floaties, which the AAP warns can deflate and don’t prevent drowning.

Planning a dip at a river or waterfall in the province? Take extra care, Mommy. Open water rarely has depth markers, and rocks, logs, or sudden drop-offs can be hard to see. River water also keeps flowing downstream, which can create strong currents.

2. Help Your Kids Beat the Tropical Heat 

Travel safety tips include heat prevention. Make sure to take water breaks and time away from direct sun.

After a morning in the water, the midday sun takes over. High heat can make children sick very fast, from dehydration to heat stroke, the AAP explains. So, keeping your kids cool keeps them well enough to enjoy the rest of the trip.

Offer water before your kids ask for it.

Your little one may be having too much fun to ask for water. The AAP notes that young kids often can’t tell when they’re getting dehydrated, so it’s up to you to keep the water coming.

• Pack a refillable water bottle for each child.
• Offer sips often, even before they say they’re thirsty.
• Choose water over soft drinks and sugary juices.

Dress them for the sun and the heat.

The right clothes and sunscreen keep your kids cooler and protect their skin. The AAP suggests these steps:

• Pick loose, light-colored clothes that let air flow, since lighter colors absorb less heat.
• Use rash guards or long-sleeved swim tops on beach days, especially from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., when UV rays are strongest.
• Apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15 or 30, about 30 minutes before heading out, and reapply every two hours or after swimming.

Plan your day around the hottest hours.

Outdoor fun is easier on your kids when you work around the heat, not through it.

• During the hot, dry months, check PAGASA’s heat index updates to see how hot the day will feel.
• Save swimming, sightseeing, and parade walks for the morning or late afternoon.
• Take regular breaks in the shade or somewhere with aircon, like a mall or a relative’s house.
• Never leave your child alone in a parked car, even for a quick stop with the windows open.

Call your pediatrician right away if your child feels faint, confused, or unusually sleepy after time in the heat, especially if they don’t improve after cooling down. Heat stroke can be life-threatening, so go to the nearest ER if your child seems seriously unwell.

3. Choose Safe Food and Water on the Road

Once your kids have cooled down, you’ll probably hear the familiar “Mommy, gutom nako!” Trying local food and stopping for pasalubong are part of the fun of any province trip. But unsafe food and drinking water are among the main ways kids pick up diarrhea. These safety tips while traveling help keep tummy trouble from cutting your trip short.

Choose food that’s freshly cooked and served hot.

When eating out, follow WHO’s Five Keys to Safer Food, which the Department of Health (DOH) also promotes:

• Pick dishes that are cooked through and served hot, especially meat, chicken, eggs, and seafood.
• Skip ulam that’s been sitting out for a long time, since WHO advises against leaving cooked food at room temperature for more than two hours.
• Wash fruits in clean water before your kids eat them.
• Pack healthy baon for the long drive, so your kids have something familiar to eat between stops.

Stick to safe drinking water.

Safe water protects your kids from many of the germs that cause stomach trouble.

• Bring enough drinking water from home, or buy sealed bottled water on the road.
• If you’re unsure about the water where you’re staying, boil or treat it before drinking.

If your child still gets diarrhea, WHO notes that the biggest risk is losing too much water and salt. Give your child ORS (Oresol), mixed as the package directs. See a doctor if you notice blood in their stool, signs of dehydration like sunken eyes or unusual sleepiness, or diarrhea that doesn’t go away.

4. Keep Little Hands Clean on the Go

Little hands touch everything on a trip: jeepney handrails, playground slides, coins from the sari-sari store, and the family dog at lola’s house. According to the CDC, clean hands help prevent the spread of both diarrhea and respiratory infections. So, good hygiene helps keep tummy bugs and colds from tagging along on your trip.

Wash with soap at key times.

Soap and water are still the best way to get rid of germs, so wash your kids’ hands for at least 20 seconds, as the DOH advises. To make it fun, sing “Happy Birthday” twice together. The CDC recommends washing:

• Before and after eating, including snacks in the car
• After using the toilet
• After touching animals, like pets or farm animals in the province
• After blowing their nose, coughing, or sneezing

Pack alcohol for when there’s no sink.

When soap and water aren’t available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Keep a small bottle or spray in your bag, and follow these tips:

• Check the label for at least 60% alcohol.
• Use enough to cover both hands, and rub until they’re dry, which takes about 20 seconds.
• Supervise young kids when they use it, so they don’t swallow any.

5. Stay Together in Crowded Places

Physical closeness, ID bracelets, and a meeting plan are your best crowd safety tools.

Busog na buong pamilya? Then it’s off to the town fiesta, a busy mall, or an evening stroll around the plaza. Crowds tend to be biggest on weekends and during the holiday season, when it’s easiest to lose sight of each other. These holiday travel safety tips help your kids enjoy the crowd while you keep them close.

Make a plan before you step into the crowd.

Before you arrive, agree on a simple plan with your kids, so everyone knows what to do if you get separated:

• Pick a meeting spot that’s easy to see and find, like the church steps or the mall’s information counter.
• Teach your kids to stay put, ask a staff member for help, and wait for you if they can’t find you.
• Show them who to ask for help, like a security guard or a staff member in uniform, not other people in the crowd.

Give your kids a way to reach you.

If your child does get lost, your contact number is what helps staff bring them back to you.

• Teach your kids to say their full name clearly.
• Help older kids learn your phone number by heart. ParenTeam’s Emergency Phone Number Karaoke game turns it into a song.
• For younger kids who can’t remember it yet, use an ID bracelet or tag with your contact number written on it.

Stick together in thick crowds.

A few habits make it easier to keep everyone together when the crowd gets packed:

• Hold your younger child’s hand. A wrist link can also help in very busy places.
• Stay near the edges of the crowd, where it’s easier to move, and leave early if it gets too packed.
• Make sure someone is always watching the kids.

6. Pack a First Aid Kit for Bumps and Scrapes

Even with all these precautions, a scraped knee or an itchy bite is part of any trip. Bring a first aid kit whenever your family travels, whether it’s a long trip to the province or a quick weekend out of town, so you can treat small injuries on the spot.

Start with these supplies, all available at your local drugstore:

• Adhesive bandages in several sizes, sterile gauze pads, and adhesive tape
• Antiseptic wipes, soap, and hand sanitizer
• Tweezers, small scissors, and disposable gloves
• A thermometer and instant cold packs
• A list of emergency numbers, including your child’s pediatrician and the nearest hospital where you’re staying

Then add the medicines your family might need:

• Antibiotic ointment for scrapes, plus hydrocortisone cream (1%) or calamine lotion for itchy bites
• Paracetamol or ibuprofen for fever and pain, in the form and dose your pediatrician recommends for your child’s age and weight
• An antihistamine for allergic itching, as advised by your pediatrician
• Any prescription medicines your child takes, plus a little extra in case your trip runs long
• Any other medication or maintenance your family needs
• ORS sachets for diarrhea

Check expiration dates before each trip, and keep the kit out of your kids’ reach. Make sure lolo, lola, or yaya knows where it is.

Make Travel Safety Part of Every Family Trip

Most of these habits fall on you, from staying close in the water to packing the right supplies. Your kids have a few jobs, too: asking before they swim, facing the water, and knowing what to do if they get separated.  

Travel safety starts the night before your next trip. Take a few minutes to review your “if we get separated” plan with your kids, practice your phone number together, and check that your first aid kit and ORS sachets are packed. Then all that’s left, Mommy, is to enjoy the trip together.

Got your own domestic travel safety tips? Share them with other parents in the ParenTeam Moms and Dads Facebook group, and pick up fresh ideas for your family’s next adventure.