SMS Marketing in the Philippines: What Is Legal, What It Costs, and How AI Helps

By Leon Harris, Founder & AI Creative Director · Updated October 2026

You have a few hundred mobile numbers from orders and bookings, and you want to text a promo or a reminder without being treated as a spammer or breaking the law. Done properly, a short text to people who agreed to receive it can fill tomorrow's empty appointment slots and tell a buyer their order is ready. This guide covers when SMS is the right channel, what the rules say, what sending costs in pesos, and how to draft messages with AI.

When SMS beats Viber, Messenger and email

SMS wins when the customer is not inside your app, your Page or your inbox. Almost every customer has a phone number, even those who ignore your Facebook Page, Viber or email. That makes SMS strongest for appointment reminders at clinics and salons, order-ready and delivery notices for online sellers and repair shops, and booking confirmations for resorts and restaurants. We found no credible open-rate figures, so we quote none. Use Viber or Messenger for photos, menus or links, and keep SMS for short, time-sensitive messages.

What the rules say (not legal advice)

Three official sources matter. First, NTC Memorandum Circular 03-03-2005 on broadcast messaging (text here) allows promotional or survey broadcasts only to subscribers who gave prior consent or opted in. The message must identify the sender and offer a way to opt out, and broadcasts are barred from 9:00 PM to 7:00 AM except paid subscription services. It binds the telcos and providers that carry your texts, and is a sound standard for you too. Second, the SIM Registration Act, RA 11934, requires every SIM to be registered to an ID-verified person or entity. It does not ban business texting, but texts are traceable to a registered owner, so complaints can reach you. Never blast from a staff member's personal SIM. Third, the Data Privacy Act, RA 10173, says consent must be freely given, specific and informed, and evidenced in writing, electronically or by recording. A booking covers messages about that booking; marketing needs its own recorded opt-in. A news report quotes the National Privacy Commission chair saying in 2021 that unsolicited text blasts violate the law (Inquirer).

Links, sender names and the promo catch

A news report (GMA) says the NTC ordered telcos to block clickable links in texts, aimed mainly at scam messages. We could not retrieve the official memo, so assume a link may be dropped. Plain text with no link is safest. On sender names (your brand name shown instead of a number), Twilio says unregistered sender names have been blocked in the Philippines since April 7, 2025. Infobip describes a Letter of Authorization per network (Smart, Globe, DITO), backed by a DTI certificate and owner ID for sole proprietors, or SEC papers for corporations. Here is the catch: Amazon's documentation says promotional content is not allowed on Philippine sender names, so on some global providers a registered name is for transactional messages only. Ask your provider in writing whether promos are allowed.

Get opt-in the right way

Add an unticked checkbox to your order or booking form: "Text me promos from [Business], max 2 a month, reply STOP to quit."
Or ask customers to text a keyword such as PROMO to your number, or sign a line on your paper form.
Record who agreed, when, and to what wording. Do not buy lists or scrape numbers.

Providers and peso costs

Semaphore, a Philippine SMS service covering Globe, Smart, Sun and DITO, publishes PHP 0.56 per text excluding VAT, so texting 500 customers costs about PHP 280 before VAT. Twilio lists USD 0.241 per message part to the Philippines and is built for teams with a developer. Infobip and the business messaging services of Smart and Globe quote prices on request. Price is per message part, so a 161-character text is billed as two.

Write it with AI, then check it

A single plain text holds 160 characters. One emoji or curly quote switches the whole message to a different character set, where the limit drops to 70 (Twilio). Paste this into ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini:

Write 10 SMS variants for [business], a [type] in [city]. Offer: [offer], valid [dates], code [CODE]. Language: Taglish, friendly and polite. Each under 160 characters, plain characters only, no emoji, no curly quotes, no links. Start with the business name and end with "Reply STOP to unsubscribe." Flag any character that is not plain keyboard text.

Then a person checks prices, dates, branch names and spelling, and pastes the final text into your provider's character counter. Never paste customer names or numbers into an AI tool; you only need the message, not the list.

Timing, frequency and measuring

Send between 7 AM and 9 PM, ideally mid-morning or late afternoon, to a small batch first. As a suggestion, not a rule, keep promos to a few a month, and process every STOP the same day. Track delivery reports, STOPs, replies and redemptions of a unique promo code against the number you texted, and pause if STOPs jump.

Honest limits

There are no photos or menus. Links may be blocked or distrusted after the scam-text wave. People change numbers, so some texts go nowhere. AI drafts still need a human to check every price and date.

Frequently asked questions

Is it legal to send SMS promos to customers in the Philippines?

Yes, with prior consent. NTC MC 03-03-2005 allows promotional broadcasts only to subscribers who gave prior consent or opted in, and requires the sender to be identified and an opt-out offered. The Data Privacy Act (RA 10173) requires consent to be freely given, specific, informed and evidenced. This is not legal advice; see a lawyer for edge cases.

Does the SIM Registration Act stop businesses from texting customers?

No. RA 11934 requires every SIM to be registered to an ID-verified person or entity. It does not ban business texting, but your number is traceable and spam complaints can be tied to you. Send from a registered business sender, not a staff member's personal SIM.

Can I text my customers a link to my Facebook page or booking form?

It is risky. A GMA News report says the NTC ordered telcos to block clickable links in texts, mainly to stop scam messages. We could not retrieve the official memo, so test with your provider and prefer no link; ask customers to reply with a keyword or call a phone number instead.

Do I need my business name to show as the sender?

If you send through a business SMS provider, usually yes. Twilio says unregistered sender names have been blocked in the Philippines since April 7, 2025, and Infobip describes registration through a Letter of Authorization per network plus DTI or SEC papers. Some providers allow only transactional messages on registered names, so ask whether promos are allowed.

How much does a business text blast cost in the Philippines?

Semaphore publishes PHP 0.56 per text excluding VAT, so 500 customers is roughly PHP 280 before VAT for a single-part message. Twilio lists USD 0.241 per message part. Smart, Globe and Infobip pricing is quoted on request. Messages over 160 characters, or with an emoji, are billed as more parts.

Is an order form or booking enough consent for marketing texts?

No. It supports messages about that booking or order. Marketing needs its own specific, recorded opt-in, such as a separate checkbox or keyword reply, with a stated frequency and a way to opt out. Keep the record of who agreed, when, and to what wording.

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