Six Proven Ways to Track Cell Phone in the Philippines: Free and Cheap Tools

Cell phone tracking uses technology to locate a mobile phone, whether stationary or moving. The main advantage of tracking a cell phone is finding a lost phone. You can also monitor a child’s phone, find missing people, or track someone internationally.

Knowing how to track a cell phone in the Philippines can be vital, especially in big cities such as Metro Manila, Cebu City, and Davao City, as well as rural areas.

Filipino rural regions like Visayas or Davao region or many remote islands still face challenges with limited network access and slow internet speeds compared to urban areas. Therefore, it’s essential to understand the disparities in network coverage when considering the feasibility and accuracy of phone tracking services across different geographical locations in the Philippines.

In this article, you will find out how to track a cellphone in the Philippines using brand locator apps, phone carriers, and messengers for free. Discover how to track a cell phone number using online services in rural areas and remote islands.

Finally, learn why phone trackers are emerging as the best way to monitor kids in the wake of online sexual abuse for millions of kids in the Philippines.

If you are in a hurry, you can use online tracking sites that work for 85% of the numbers we tested. These sites offer cheap trials for tracking any number in the Philippines for less than ₱56. They include Scannero, Detectico, and GEOfinder.mobi.

Free Brand Locator Apps

A brand locator app is a built-in tool by a mobile brand to help find a lost phone. The main advantage is that such apps are free. However, most won’t locate a phone if it’s turned off, but can show the last known location.

The most popular free brand locator apps are Find My for iOS, SmartThings Find for Samsung (Galaxy and Note included) and Google Find My Device for any other Android phones. Usually, they are already built-in in your phone; thus, you need just to find them on your device and turn on.

We recommend brand locator apps for all Philippine residents living in high-crime areas like the Manila city region. Manila has a crime level of 64.56, according to numbeo.com, which is relatively high, not including Cebu, Iloilo, and Makati, which are all high-crime cities. So, if your phone is stolen, you can track it with any of the next free brand locator apps.

Best for: locating own mobile phone.

Price: free.

How to use SmartThings Find

As Samsung is one of the most popular mobile brands in the Philippines, let’s see how to use its SmartThings Find phone locator app on Samsung phones.

To set up SmartThings Find, go to the Settings menu > Security & Privacy > Find My Mobile. Turn on every feature you need.

You’ll be prompted to sign in to your Samsung account. If you don’t have a one, go to Settings > Accounts & Backup > Manage Accounts to create a new Samsung account.

To locate a lost or stolen phone, use a PC or any other mobile device to open a browser. Go to https://smartthingsfind.samsung.com/login and fill out your Samsung account details. Click on the device that you want to find and see its location on the map.

Brand Locators Pros and Cons

Tracking phone with brand locator apps has its pros and cons.

Messengers Location Sharing

Location sharing in messengers is sharing your live location so that friends and family members can see where you are and when you will arrive. The same way you see theirs location. The main advantage is the speed of the location sharing process, although the precision varies.

Best for: short-time location sharing with friends and family.

Price: free.

How to use location sharing in messengers like WhatsApp, Facebook, Telegram, Viber, etc.:

Open the conversation > tap + > choose “Share Location” (option may vary depending on the messenger).

Usually, you can do choose location sharing for a specific time or share the location of a specific place. It is helpful for friends and family if you’re on holiday or traveling to an unfamiliar spot like Mausonoan Island or Panguan Island.

Location Sharing Pros and Cons

Tracking someone’s phone with messengers has its pros and cons.

How to Track a Cell Phone Number in the Philippines

A phone number tracker is a service or tool that can track the present moment or the current locations of a cell phone using its mobile number. The main benefit of using a phone tracker by phone number is that it is anonymous and does not depend on installing apps or sharing locations.

You can start with HeyLocate Free Phone Number Tracker for the Philippines.

Best for: locating someone in a limited network area; tracking someone’s location without them knowing.

Price: trial options from as little as 56 PHP; monthly subscription plans start at 2,830 PHP.

A phone number trackers like Scannero, GeoFinder and Detectico allow you to track phone number locations in the Philippines and worldwide. Thus, it is perfect for travelers.

Most tracking systems that find location by phone number send location updates via SMS. You can send specific commands using text to request the device’s location.

This method does not rely on continuous internet connectivity. Thus, this is an excellent option to track a phone number location in the Philippines, especially for islands and rural areas, such as Buscalan village and Mindanao island, which have limited network access and slower internet speeds.

Phone Number Tracker Pros and Cons

Phone number trackers have their own pros and cons.

Use Phone Trackers

A phone tracker is a tool that can track the location of a moving phone and other device activity. Phone trackers also track the features on the phone where the app is installed. The main benefit of a phone tracker like mSpy or uMobix is seeing the target phone live location and understanding the user’s digital activities.

However, it infringes privacy if the person you track is not a child or an employee who gave a consent. Thus, we recommend phone trackers only for monitoring kids and employees in the Philippines.

Best for: monitoring a kid’s location and online activities.

Price: approx. ₱2,775 per month.

Why to use such phone trackers? 96% of tweens and teens aged 12–17 in the Philippines are online. 20% of these internet users experienced online sexual exploitation and abuse in 2022.

According to Philstar Global, kids in the Philippines are the second most vulnerable to online threats. UNICEF averages that 8 out of 10 Filipino children are at risk of online sexual abuse and bullying.

As you can see, knowing what your child is doing on their phone is important. That’s why phone trackers are critical for the parents of kids that use smartphones.

Phone Tracker Pros and Cons

Phone trackers have their pros and cons.

Try Reverse Phone Lookup

Reverse phone lookup is a service that allows you to enter a phone number, and it will tell you the owner of that cell phone number. The best attribute of a reverse phone lookup is that it reveals the identity of an unknown caller. Furthermore, it may include other personal details such as their physical address, email address, relatives, and employment history.

Nevertheless, phone directories in the Philippines mostly perform a reverse phone search only for business numbers. The Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT) might offer an online directory or white pages service, as well as Yellow Pages Philippines offers online business directory.

To track an individual phone number, try apps like Truecaller. Such apps have a large user-generated database of phone numbers from all over the world and can sometimes identify the caller. However, their effectiveness varies and depends on whether the number has been reported or tagged by other Filipino users.

Best For: tracking an unknown phone number of some company/marketers.

Price: some are free.

Reverse Lookup Pros and Cons

Reverse phone lookup tools have their pros and cons.

How to Track a Cell Phone in the Philippines for Free and Anonymously

To track a cell phone in the Philippines free of charge, use IP address locator. The first thing is to create a URL with a location-tracking link.

1. Find a URL with an image or an interesting article that will prompt your target to click. It can be a link to a breaking news site or videos from social media sites such as TikTok.
   
2. Go to a link shortener site with click analytics, such as IP address tracker https://grabify.link/ or https://iplogger.org/.
   
3. Input the link in the shortener bar and click “Create Short Link.”
4. Send the link to the person you want to track IP address exact location for free. Once they click on the link, the site will show their location or information about the device they used once they click on the link.
   

Is It Possible to Track Lost Phone Using IMEI number in the Philippines?

The IMEI, “International Mobile Equipment Identity” identifies a phone within a network. Many online sources claim they can help you track a lost phone using an IMEI number in the Philippines. Imei-tracker.com is an example of a site that claims it can track a phone using its IMEI number. Unfortunately, none of these sites work, and it’s usually a ploy to cash in from ads on the site.

If you need to block your IMEI and prevent your cellphone from being operated by someone without authorization, reach out to the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) at 0919-299 9999.

If your phone is stolen, turn to the police. Remember that you should know your phone’s IMEI. For that, dial *#06# and record it somewhere. When you give it to the police, they will contact service providers who can trace the mobile phone’s location using GPS.

Report Lost Phone to the Philippines Phone Carriers

There is no dedicated app to track Smart Communications, Globe Telecom, DITO Telecommunity, or Sun Cellular numbers. For that purpose, use our advice from other subtitles. Nevertheless, you can report your lost phone and request to block it and get a new SIM card with your number.

If you’re a Globe Telecom Postpaid user and need to report a lost phone, you can contact them through Facebook Messenger at m.me/globeph and choose the ‘Report Lost Phone’ option. Alternatively, dial 211 from any Globe mobile number and follow the prompts to report a lost phone or SIM.

For Smart Communications users, turn to their Facebook page or Twitter @SmartCares to report the lost or stolen mobile phone. You may also call their hotline *888 using a Smart number or (02) 8888-1111 via landline.

Comparison of the Tools for Cell Phone Tracking

To decide how to track a cell phone in the Philippines, compare their main features in the table below.

Why is Phone Tracking Important?

Phone tracking is important for the following reasons.

1. Monitor the location of your kids, older parents, and other family members.
   Phone trackers are handy for knowing your kids’ whereabouts at all times. They can also help to prevent scammers from taking advantage of older parents. Additionally, you can use a phone tracker to know if a family member is where they say they are, such as a spouse.
2. Finding missing people like tourists, including after natural disasters like earthquakes or typhoons.
   The Philippines gets 18 to 20 typhoons in a year. Having the means to track someone after a natural disaster is an important skill. Thus, using one of the methods to track location using a phone number may help recover a missing person in the wake of an earthquake or typhoon.
3. International tracking.
   If you want to locate someone internationally, using a phone number tracker that does not rely on location sharing can prove convenient.
4. Track lost or stolen phone.
   As the Philippines phone carriers can help only block your SIM card, phone trackers can help you locate a lost or stolen phone in time.

Is it Legal to Track Cell Phone Number in the Philippines?

The telecommunications industry in the Philippines is regulated by the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), which oversees the implementation of policies and guidelines related to telecommunications services. Familiarize yourself with the regulatory framework established by the NTC for a comprehensive understanding of the legal requirements and standards for telecommunications operations, including any provisions related to phone tracking services.

Conclusion

Tracking a cell phone number in the Philippines is possible using the phone and phone number trackers, as well as mobile brand locators: all depends on your needs and situation. Some are free, some are anonymous, some even let you know more than just location. Choose what you prefer!