In brief
Tipping in the Philippines is not expected but is fairly common, and where the bill already carries a service charge you do not need to add a tip. Republic Act 11360, approved on 7 August 2019, requires hotels, restaurants and similar establishments to distribute service charges completely and equally among covered workers, managerial employees excluded.
- Service charges must be shared “completely and equally” among covered workers, except managerial employees1.
- The law does not set a service-charge rate and does not oblige a business to levy one, according to a lawyer quoted by Lifestyle.INQ2.
- A 2023 report says Filipinos usually leave about 10 percent where no service charge is on the bill3.
- No source used here gives a Boracay-specific tipping custom or amounts for porters or housekeeping.
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Where to book Current rates across the island.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you have to tip in Boracay?
No. National reporting describes tipping as not expected but fairly common, and unnecessary when a service charge is on the bill3.
How much should I tip if there is no service charge?
The 2023 Tribune report says Filipinos usually leave about 10 percent3. That is custom, not a legal figure.
Where does the service charge go?
Under RA 11360 it is distributed completely and equally among covered workers, excluding managerial employees1.
Does the law set a service charge percentage?
No. A lawyer quoted by Lifestyle.INQ said businesses may choose to charge none2.
Does the service charge count toward staff wages?
Service charges paid to covered employees are not counted when judging whether the employer meets the minimum wage1.
Who handles a complaint about service charges?
The establishment’s own grievance process first, then the DOLE regional office for the workplace1.
The detail
Visitors to Boracay ask two questions about tipping: whether to tip, and whether a tip or a service charge reaches the staff. Both have an answer in national law and in dated reporting, but none is specific to the island. This page covers the law, what it does not say, and what national reporting describes as custom. For the rest of what visitors spend on the island see ATMs, Card Fees and Money Exchange, and for the island’s regulations see Boracay Rules for Visitors.
The short answer
| If you are… | Do this |
|---|---|
| Paying a bill with a service charge line | Tipping on top is optional35 |
| Paying a bill with no service charge | About 10 percent is the amount reported as usual among Filipinos; it is a custom, not a rule3 |
| Wondering where the charge goes | By law, to covered workers, shared equally; managers are excluded1 |
| Wondering what the percentage must be | The law sets none2 |
What Republic Act 11360 says
RA 11360 was approved on 7 August 2019 and amends Article 96 of the Labor Code. Its core rule: “All service charges collected by hotels, restaurants and similar establishments shall be distributed completely and equally among the covered workers except managerial employees”1. Managerial employees are those who lay down and execute management policies or hire, transfer, suspend, recall, discharge, assign or discipline employees1.
Two further points in the statute:
- Service charges paid to covered employees do not count toward the employer’s compliance with the minimum wage1.
- Each establishment must have an internal process to resolve disputes. If it has none or it fails, the matter goes to the regional office of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) with jurisdiction over the workplace, for conciliation1.
The implementing rules, reported on 22 November 2019, say shares are based on actual hours or days of work, are paid at least twice a month with an interval of no more than 16 days, and cover hotels, restaurants, lodging houses, casinos and sports clubs4. For the island’s casino history see Casinos in Boracay.
Sources disagree The Philstar report on the implementing rules describes the distribution as 85 percent for covered employees and 15 percent for management4. The statute text says service charges are distributed completely and equally among covered workers, managers excluded1, and Lifestyle.INQ says the 85/15 split belonged to the earlier rule, Presidential Decree 850 of 19752. Follow the statute.
What the law does not do
The law governs how a service charge is shared; it does not set a rate and does not force a business to charge one. A Manila lawyer quoted by Lifestyle.INQ said establishments may charge none, and that pooled tips would presumably also be shared in full; that is the lawyer’s opinion, not a court ruling2. So whether your bill in Boracay carries a service charge is the business’s decision, and you will find out from the bill or the menu.
A Philstar business column of 19 June 2024 argues that the law made tipping optional once a service charge exists, and also reports that some establishments do not pass service charges on to staff, so servers still hope for tips5. That is a columnist’s view, not a finding, and it is not specific to Boracay.
What reporting says about custom
A Daily Tribune article of 26 May 2023 says tipping in restaurants is not expected but is fairly common, that upscale restaurants in big cities often add a service charge which stands in for the tip, and that where there is none Filipinos usually leave about 10 percent of the bill3.
Good to know The reports behind this page cover restaurants and the law. No source used here states a custom or an amount for hotel porters, housekeeping, boat crews, tricycle drivers or dive staff, so none is given.
Related Articles
Sources (5)
- Republic Act No. 11360 — Congress of the Philippines, approved 7 August 2019, via Lawphil. Accessed 2026-10-03.
- Service charge law — Lifestyle.INQ, Philippine Daily Inquirer. Accessed 2026-10-03.
- How much do Pinoys tip in restaurants — Daily Tribune, 26 May 2023. Accessed 2026-10-03.
- IRR on workers’ service charge distribution out — Philstar, 22 November 2019. Accessed 2026-10-03.
- Tip or not to tip — Philstar, 19 June 2024. Accessed 2026-10-03.