Importation of Regulated Products for Personal Use into the Philippines
Regulated Products
Philippine authorities consider the following items as Regulated Products which travellers may bring into the Philippines without prior clearance from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) only in limited quantities and on the conditions that the items:
- are for personal use only
- do not exceed the quantity indicated below
- are brought into the Philippines either (a) in the traveller’s personal baggage, (b) in a balikbayan box, or (c) in parcel sent through mail or delivery service
The regulated products and respective quantity limitations are as follows:
- Assorted cosmetics: 5 kilograms
- Bar soap: 2 kilograms comprising different variants (only up to 500 grams of the same variant allowed)
- Childcare articles: 5 kilograms
- Household hazardous substances (detergent: fabric conditioner: fabric softener: dishwashing liquid): 5 kilograms
- Insulin needles and lancets: up to 100 pieces
- In-vitro diagnostic products: 1 piece of each type
- In-vitro maintenance test strips: up to 100 pieces
- Lipstick: 10 pieces comprising different variants (only up to 3 pieces of the same variant allowed)
- Lotion: 2 kilograms comprising different variants (only up to 1 kilogram of the same variant allowed)
- Medical devices: 1 piece of each type
- Over-the-counter drugs: 50 grams
- Perfumes: 5 pieces
- Prescription drugs, quantity or volume indicated in physician’s prescription (actual prescription must be presented, indicating physician’s license or practice number)
- Processed food (including cooked food): up to 10 kilograms
- Shampoo: 2 kilograms
- Toys: 10 pieces of different variants (only up to 2 pieces of the same variant allowed)
- Vitamins: supplements: health supplements intended as maintenance medicine: 500 grams total
- Wines, liquor: 2 bottles, but not exceeding 1.5 liters
Any quantity of the above-cited products, whether declared or undeclared, beyond the specified limits which do not have the required Bureau of Customs or FDA-DOH (Food and Drug Administration – Department of Health) Clearance, will be seized and forfeited by the Bureau of Customs.
Fresh or Frozen Unprocessed Foods
Fresh or frozen unprocessed foods – including fresh fruits, frozen meat, fresh fish – even in quantities for personal use, may NOT be brought into or sent to the Philippines without the prior clearance from the Department of Agriculture of the Philippines.
Pesticides
Importation of any household urban pesticides shall require prior FDA (Food and Drug Administration) release.
Dangerous Drugs, Controlled Precursor and Essential Chemicals
Travellers to the Philippines who take prescription drugs (tablets and ampoules) should bring a letter from their physician stating the condition for which they are receiving treatment and the dosage, with English translation. The amount of drugs brought into the country should also be sufficient for the duration of the visit. For those who are travelling onward to another country, they are advised that separate quantities of drugs should be sealed and declared again before exiting the country.
Dangerous drugs, controlled precursors and essential chemicals, and other similar or analogous substances are subject to the regulations of the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA). Please refer to the information on the DDB website on the list of controlled substances: https://ddb.gov.ph/regulatory-control/
If you are uncertain whether the prescription drug you are using is allowed in the Philippines as some drugs are prohibited under Republic Act 9165, please send an email directly to info@ddb.gov.ph and lad@ddb.gov.ph for inquiries, concerns, and clarifications.