The easiest way to watch Filipino TV channels in Australia is an IPTV service with a Philippines section: one app on your TV, Fire TV Stick or phone gives you live teleseryes, news, variety and entertainment channels with a programme guide, plus films and series on demand. You need a stable internet connection of about 10 Mbps per screen for HD.
Close to 300,000 people living in Australia were born in the Philippines, according to the 2021 Census, and Tagalog and Filipino are among the most common languages spoken at home. For many families, following the latest teleserye, the evening news or a Sunday variety show is part of staying close to home. This guide explains how.
Your options for Filipino TV in Australia
There are a few ways to watch channels from the Philippines:
- Network subscription services: Filipino broadcasters offer international packages and apps, usually for their own channels only.
- Free online clips: useful for short news segments, but not for full live channels on the TV.
- IPTV: live Filipino channels in one app and one guide, together with channels from 115+ other countries and a large on-demand library.
Filipino channel categories you can expect
Filipino channels are usually grouped into these categories:
- Entertainment, with teleseryes, variety and game shows.
- News and public affairs in Filipino and English.
- Films and classic Filipino movies.
- Religious channels.
- Music channels.
- Children's programmes.
The easiest time difference of any home country
The Philippines is one of the easiest countries to follow from Australia. Manila uses one time zone all year with no daylight saving, which makes it the same time as Perth. It is 2 hours behind Brisbane, 2 hours behind Sydney and Melbourne in winter and 3 hours behind during Australian daylight saving, from October to April.
So a prime-time teleserye that starts at 8 pm in Manila airs at 10 or 11 pm on the east coast, and at 8 pm in Perth. If your guide does not match the picture, adjust the EPG time offset in your IPTV app settings.
Catch-up for late-night shows
For families on the east coast with early starts, a 10 or 11 pm teleserye can be too late. Where a channel offers catch-up, open the guide the next day and play the episode from the start. Many series are also added to the on-demand section, so the family can watch together at dinner time instead.
The internet speed you need
Filipino channels use about 10 Mbps per screen for HD, 15 Mbps for Full HD and 25 Mbps for 4K. An nbn 50 plan easily handles two or three screens at once. Our IPTV speed calculator works out what your household needs.
Wi-Fi drop-outs cause most freezing, not slow plans. Connect the main TV with a network cable if you can, place the router in a central, open spot and restart it now and then.
Devices for the family
A Fire TV Stick 4K or a Google TV with TiviMate gives a clear guide and quick channel changes on the main TV. Samsung and LG Smart TVs can run IPTV apps directly, and IPTV Smarters works well on phones and tablets for anyone watching on the go or during a break at work.
If family members want to watch different shows at the same time, choose a 2- or 3-screen plan.
Shared viewing with family in the Philippines
Because the time difference is small, many families watch the same live show as relatives in the Philippines and chat about it on messenger apps as it happens. Live events, singing competitions and big teleserye finales become something the whole family shares, whichever country they are in.
Keeping children connected
Children born in Australia often understand Filipino better when they hear it every day. Cartoons, children's shows and family programmes in Filipino make the language part of normal life. Create a favourites list for the children and use the app's parental controls to hide categories that are not suitable.
Common problems and quick fixes
Most issues with overseas channels have a simple cause:
- Guide times are wrong: adjust the EPG time offset, and check it again when Australian daylight saving starts or ends.
- Channel freezes in the evening: connect the TV with a network cable and restart the router.
- Channel list is very long: use the search, or add your Filipino favourites to their own list.
- App is missing from your TV's store: plug in a Fire TV Stick, which supports all the main IPTV apps.
Movies and on-demand titles
Live channels are only part of the service. The on-demand library has 98,000+ movies and series, so you can start a film whenever you like instead of waiting for it to air. Use the search to find a title, and add series to your favourites to pick up where you left off.
Try it free first
List the Filipino channels your family watches most, ask for our free 24-hour trial on WhatsApp and check them in the evening. Plans start at A$24 for one month, or A$99 for 12 months on one screen, and you can ask for a full refund within 7 days.
Frequently asked questions
Can I watch Filipino TV channels in Australia?
Yes. With an IPTV service that includes Filipino channels, you can watch live news, teleseryes and variety shows from the Philippines over your internet connection, on your Smart TV, Fire TV Stick, phone or computer.
What is the time difference between the Philippines and Australia?
The Philippines is on the same time as Perth all year. It is 2 hours behind Sydney and Melbourne in winter and 3 hours behind during Australian daylight saving, and 2 hours behind Brisbane all year.
Can I watch teleseryes I missed?
Where a channel offers catch-up, you can watch recent episodes from the programme guide. Many series are also available in the on-demand section, so you can watch at a time that suits you.