# Home for Christmas: What Is New in Manila for Balikbayans in 2026 Canonical page: https://whatsonmnl.com/blog/balikbayan-christmas-manila-2026 Source: What's On Manila. Please cite and link the canonical page. Published: 2026-10-17 *Coming home for Christmas 2026? eTravel, SIM registration, the longer LRT-1, Manila's first Michelin Guide, and the December shows and family outings to book before you fly.* If you are coming home to Manila for Christmas 2026 and have been away a few years, the changes you will notice first are practical ones. You now register your arrival on the free eTravel site within 72 hours before you land, every SIM has to be registered before it works, and the LRT-1 has run south past the airport to Parañaque since November 2024. The city also has its first Michelin Guide, published in October 2025, and the December shows that families book for, like Jose Mari Chan and two Nutcrackers, are already on sale. Here is what is new, what to sort before you fly, and what to book now. Updated October 2026. ## Before you fly: eTravel and the balikbayan stay **eTravel.** Arriving Filipino and foreign passengers, and departing Filipino passengers, must register on eTravel, the government's arrival and departure system at etravel.gov.ph. You can register within 72 hours (3 days) before you arrive, and the official FAQ says registration "is absolutely free of charge", so ignore any site that asks you to pay. Take a screenshot of your QR code before you close the page, because the airline asks to see it before you board. If you have registered before, you can update your details for the new trip under Edit Registration rather than starting again. **The balikbayan stay.** If you are a former Filipino who has become a citizen of one of the listed countries, the Balikbayan Program gives you an initial stay of one year without a visa. Your foreign spouse and children can come in the same way if they are citizens of a listed country and travel with you. The stay can be extended by one, two or six months at a Bureau of Immigration office. Check the list of countries on your nearest Philippine embassy or consulate's page before booking, as nationals of countries not on it must apply for a visa. ## Your phone: SIM registration This is the one that catches people out. Since the SIM Registration Act (Republic Act No. 11934) of 2022, new SIMs are sold switched off and only work once you complete registration. A passport is accepted as ID. Existing SIMs that were not registered within the deadline were deactivated, and the law says they can only be reactivated after registration, so an old Philippine number that has sat in a drawer may not wake up when you land. If family members visiting with you are foreign tourists, their SIMs work for 30 days and then switch off automatically. They register with their passport, their address in the Philippines and a return ticket. ## Getting around in December **The LRT-1 goes further south now.** Five new stations opened on 16 November 2024: Redemptorist-Aseana, MIA Road, PITX, Ninoy Aquino Avenue and Dr. Santos (formerly Sucat) in Parañaque. The line now runs through five cities, from Quezon City through Caloocan, Manila and Pasay to Parañaque, and LRMC says the new stations have lifts, escalators and tactile guides. If your family lives south of the airport, or you are heading to PITX, it is worth a look. **Grab and taxis.** Book rides earlier than you think on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and 31 December, and agree on a pick-up point away from mall entrances, where cars queue. If you are heading to a show at Newport in Pasay, the organisers of the Saint Petersburg Nutcracker note there is no train station at Newport World Resorts, and suggest the LRT-1 or MRT-3 to EDSA and then a short Grab or taxi ride. **The holidays.** Under Proclamation No. 1006, Tuesday 8 December is a special non-working day, Thursday 24 December (Christmas Eve) an additional special non-working day, Friday 25 December (Christmas Day) a regular holiday, Wednesday 30 December (Rizal Day) a regular holiday and Thursday 31 December a special non-working day. New Year's Day, Friday 1 January 2027, is a regular holiday under Republic Act No. 9492. Opening hours can change on those days, so do your errands before the 24th and check before you go. **Money.** Bring a card that works abroad and some cash. Tell your bank you are travelling before you go, keep small notes for tips and drivers, and do not carry all your cash in one place on crowded nights out. ## What is new since you last visited **Manila has a Michelin Guide.** The first MICHELIN Guide Manila and Environs & Cebu was launched on 30 October 2025, with 108 places: one restaurant with Two Stars, eight with One Star, 25 Bib Gourmands and 74 more on the selected list. Helm, chef Josh Boutwood's tasting-menu restaurant, got Two Stars, and [Gallery by Chele](https://whatsonmnl.com/place/gallery-by-chele) in BGC was among the One Star picks. For a family dinner, look at the Bib Gourmand list, which Michelin describes as "exceptional food at moderate prices" and which includes Manam at the Triangle and Kumba. **Two Makati bars are ranked in Asia.** On Asia's 50 Best Bars list this year, Problem Child is No. 44 and [The Spirits Library](https://whatsonmnl.com/place/the-spirits-library) in Poblacion is No. 98. For the rest of the district, see [The Best Bars in Poblacion](https://whatsonmnl.com/blog/best-bars-in-poblacion). **Gold at the Ayala Museum.** [Reuniting the Surigao Treasure](https://whatsonmnl.com/event/reuniting-the-surigao-treasure) brings together gold from the collections of the Ayala Museum and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, and is on until 30 May 2027. A newer show, [Turning Tides: Maritime Encounters and Exchanges of Power](https://whatsonmnl.com/event/turning-tides-maritime-encounters-and-exchanges-of-power), runs until 14 February 2027. [Ayala Museum](https://whatsonmnl.com/place/ayala-museum) is at Makati Avenue corner De La Rosa Street, Greenbelt Park, Makati. ## Family outings that work for every age **[The Mind Museum](https://whatsonmnl.com/place/the-mind-museum)** in BGC has more than 250 hands-on science exhibits in five galleries, which keeps both children and grandparents busy for a morning. JY Campos Park, 3rd Avenue, BGC, Taguig. Tuesday to Sunday, 9am to 6pm; closed Mondays. Three-hour slots start at 9am, 12pm and 3pm: ₱625 adults, ₱550 children; all-day pass ₱750. Children 3 feet and below go free, and senior and PWD (person with disability) discounts apply at the ticket booth. **[Home Alone in Concert](https://whatsonmnl.com/event/home-alone-in-concert-2026)** plays the film with its score performed live by the 85-member Filharmonika Orchestra, conducted by Gerard Salonga. Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 December, 3pm, at [The Theatre at Solaire](https://whatsonmnl.com/venue/the-theatre-at-solaire). ₱2,574 to ₱7,724 on TicketWorld, including its service charge. **The Nutcracker** is on twice. Ballet Philippines dances it at The Theatre at Solaire from 11 to 13 December, and [the Saint Petersburg National Ballet Theatre](https://whatsonmnl.com/event/the-nutcracker-saint-petersburg-national-ballet-theatre-manila-2026) plays the Newport Performing Arts Theater on Friday 18 December at 8pm and Saturday 19 December at 2pm and 7pm. The organiser suggests the Saturday 2pm show for small children. **Christmas itself.** For the lights, the bazaars and the dawn Masses, see our guides to [Christmas lights](https://whatsonmnl.com/blog/christmas-lights-manila-2026), [Christmas bazaars](https://whatsonmnl.com/blog/christmas-bazaars-manila-2026) and [Simbang Gabi](https://whatsonmnl.com/blog/simbang-gabi-manila-2026). For New Year's Eve plans, read [New Year's Eve in Manila 2026](https://whatsonmnl.com/blog/new-years-eve-manila-2026). ## What to book now These are on sale and will not get easier closer to the date: - **[Jose Mari Chan Christmas Concert](https://whatsonmnl.com/event/jose-mari-chan-a-christmas-with-the-opm-icons-2026):** Friday 11 and Saturday 12 December, 8pm, Newport Performing Arts Theater, Pasay. - **Ballet Philippines' The Nutcracker:** 11 to 13 December, The Theatre at Solaire, through ballet.ph. - **The Saint Petersburg Nutcracker:** 18 and 19 December, Newport, on Megatix. Only three shows. - **Home Alone in Concert:** 19 and 20 December, Solaire, on TicketWorld. - **Noche Buena and New Year's Eve dinners:** if you want a restaurant rather than a home table, book in November. For concerts the cousins will want, see [Concerts in Manila to the End of 2026](https://whatsonmnl.com/blog/concerts-in-manila-end-of-2026). ## Questions people ask **Do Filipino citizens need to register on eTravel?** Yes. The eTravel FAQ lists arriving Filipino and foreign passengers, and departing Filipino passengers, among those who must register. It is free. **How long can a former Filipino stay without a visa?** Under the Balikbayan Program, former Filipinos who are citizens of a listed country get an initial stay of one year, which can be extended at a Bureau of Immigration office. **Will my old Philippine SIM still work?** Only if it was registered. Unregistered SIMs were deactivated under the SIM Registration Act and can be reactivated only after registration. **Is 24 December a holiday in 2026?** Yes. Christmas Eve is an additional special non-working day, and Christmas Day on Friday 25 December is a regular holiday. **What is a good family day out in December?** The Mind Museum in BGC for a morning (closed Mondays), then a matinee: Home Alone in Concert at 3pm on 19 or 20 December, or the 2pm Nutcracker at Newport on 19 December. How we checked: every rule, date and price here comes from the government office, venue, organiser or ticket seller, read on 17 October 2026. Rules can change, so look at eTravel and your embassy's balikbayan page again in the week before you fly.