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ApertureAuthority
Country

Philippines

The Philippines has no freedom of panorama, but buildings completed before November 1972 were never protected and are free to sell.

Verified Jun 28, 2026 2 official sources
Permit: conditionalPanorama: Restricted (no freedom of panorama)

Guidance, not legal advice

Rules change and enforcement varies. Confirm with the issuing authority before you shoot. Drone law depth lives at Drone Authority.

Permit

Conditional

Issuer: Local government or site for commercial shoots; no permit for personal street photography

Cost: No permit for personal photography; commercial shoots usually need permits

Personal photography needs no permit. Heritage churches and Intramuros sites charge for and require permits for commercial and pre-nuptial shoots. Avoid military zones.

Drone / airspace

Regulated by CAAP; commercial drones need registration and a controller certificate

For category detail, see Drone Authority.

Street / public space

Yes, broadly tolerated, but the Anti-Photo and Video Voyeurism Act and Data Privacy Act constrain capturing and publishing people

Get consent for commercial publication of identifiable subjects.

Freedom of panorama

Restricted (no freedom of panorama)

The IP Code contains no panorama provision, so commercial images of copyrighted buildings and public art are not exempt. Buildings completed before 14 November 1972 were never protected and are free to use.

Practical notes

  • Modern landmarks are not safe to sell; pre-1972 Spanish-era and American-era architecture is free.
  • Heritage churches and Intramuros often charge for and require permits for commercial shoots.

Sources

Keep shooting

Knowing the rules is half the job. The craft side:

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