Film production in Manila
Between June and December, usable daylight in Manila moves by 1h 43min — from 12h 59min down to 11h 16min. An exterior day in December is a different day from one in June. This page carries sunrise, sunset and golden-hour times for all twelve months.
Light and shooting hours
On 15 June, the sun in Manila rises at 05:28 and sets at 18:27; the evening golden hour starts at 17:56 and runs for 31 minutes. By December that shifts to 06:14–17:30, with a 31-minute golden-hour window from 16:59.
In practice, a spread of 1h 43min means a schedule that works here in summer does not work in winter at the same location — with the same setup count, the hours simply are not there.
| Month | Sunrise | Sunset | Daylight | Golden hour (evening, from) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 06:25 | 17:46 | 11h 21min | 17:16 |
| February | 06:21 | 18:01 | 11h 40min | 17:32 |
| March | 06:05 | 18:07 | 12h 02min | 17:39 |
| April | 05:43 | 18:10 | 12h 27min | 17:42 |
| May | 05:29 | 18:17 | 12h 48min | 17:47 |
| June | 05:28 | 18:27 | 12h 59min | 17:56 |
| July | 05:35 | 18:30 | 12h 55min | 18:00 |
| August | 05:43 | 18:20 | 12h 37min | 17:51 |
| September | 05:46 | 17:59 | 12h 14min | 17:31 |
| October | 05:48 | 17:37 | 11h 49min | 17:09 |
| November | 05:58 | 17:25 | 11h 28min | 16:55 |
| December | 06:14 | 17:30 | 11h 16min | 16:59 |
Blue hour and shooting windows
Blue hour in Manila starts at 18:41 in June and ends at 18:50 — a window of 9 minutes. In December it is 9 minutes from 17:44. If you need a city view with lit windows, that window is all you get.
Sunset moves fastest around the equinoxes: between March (18:07) and September (17:59) there are 8 minutes of difference. A schedule running over several weeks cannot work from one fixed "sunset" time.
Planning a shoot here
A schedule that ignores these numbers looks fine on paper and falls over on the day. TillyGen folds sun position, travel and crew availability straight into the schedule — if the exterior no longer fits before sunset in December, the plan says so, not the wrap report.
Frequently asked
When is golden hour in Manila?
In June it starts at 17:56 and lasts 31 minutes; in December it starts at 16:59 and lasts 31 minutes. The table above lists all twelve months.
How much daylight does a shoot day in Manila get?
Between 11h 16min in December and 12h 59min in June. The 1h 43min difference is worth four to eight setups depending on your pace.
Which month is best for exteriors in Manila?
On daylight length alone, June is strongest with 12h 59min of usable light.