Simple Conversion Guide for Pacific Time to Philippine Time (PST To PHT)

Pacific Time is 16 hours behind Philippine Time during winter.

15 hours behind during summer.

That’s it. That’s the rule.

Most people mess this up because they forget about daylight saving time. The Philippines doesn’t do daylight saving. 

So when California springs forward to Pacific Daylight Time (PDT), the gap shrinks by an hour.

Winter months (roughly November to March): PST is UTC-8, Philippines is UTC+8. Add 16 hours.

Summer months (roughly March to November): PDT is UTC-7, Philippines is UTC+8. Add 15 hours.

And almost always, when you’re starting your workday in California, it’s already tomorrow in the Philippines.

What 9 AM Pacific actually means in Manila

9 AM Pacific = 1 AM Philippine Time (next day).

Read that again. Your 9 AM start time is 1 AM for them. Middle of the night. Not early morning. Not late evening. The actual middle of the night.

Here’s the complete breakdown of every hour during a typical workday:

PST to PHT conversion (November – March)

PDT to PHT conversion (March – November)

Notice something? Your entire workday happens during their night and early morning.

This isn’t like hiring someone in India or Eastern Europe where there’s a few hours of natural overlap. This is nearly opposite sides of the clock.

The three ways companies actually schedule this

Most companies hiring Filipino talent fall into one of three patterns.

Full Pacific alignment

This is the traditional graveyard shift. Your remote worker mirrors your 9 AM–5 PM Pacific schedule exactly. 

So they’re working 1 AM–9 AM Philippine Time (during PST) or 12 AM–8 AM (during PDT).

It’s also the hardest to sustain long-term. Which is why many agencies pay higher rates for true night shift work.

Hybrid overlap model

This is becoming more common with smarter companies. 

Your remote worker gives you 3-4 hours of live overlap with your morning, then works the rest of their hours during Philippine daytime.

Philippine daytime with occasional late calls

Your remote worker keeps a normal 9 AM–5 PM Philippine schedule. 

But they hop on one or two calls late at night (like 10 PM or 6 AM their time) when needed.

This only works if your company operates asynchronously. Clear SOPs. Written updates. Trust in people to execute without constant check-ins.

It’s the most humane option. 

But it requires you to actually build systems instead of relying on real-time availability.

The real conversation you should have

Before you hire someone for Pacific hours, have an actual conversation about what their life will look like.

Ask them: “Have you worked night shift before? How did it go?”

Ask them: “What’s your living situation? Do you have family who’ll be awake while you’re trying to sleep?”

Ask them: “Do you have backup internet and power? Because your shift will be during Philippine nighttime when fewer services are available if something goes wrong.”

And be honest with yourself: “Do I actually need someone live during my entire workday, or do I just want that because it feels convenient?”

The best working relationships happen when both sides are realistic about what they’re signing up for.

Pacific Time to Philippine Time is doable. Thousands of Filipino remote workers do it successfully. But it’s not easy, and it’s not for everyone.

Respect that. Plan accordingly. And you’ll build a much stronger team.

FAQs

1. What is the time difference between PST and Philippine Time?

PST is 16 hours behind Philippine Time (PST is UTC-8, PHT is UTC+8). Add 16 hours to PST to get PHT. During daylight saving (March-November), PDT is 15 hours behind—add 15 hours instead. Example: 9 AM PST = 1 AM PHT next day. 9 AM PDT = 12 AM midnight PHT.

2. Can Filipino remote workers handle Pacific Time schedules?

Yes, but they work true graveyard shifts. A 9 AM-5 PM Pacific job means 1 AM-9 AM in Manila. Workers sleep during the day (8 AM-2 PM), then live their life in the afternoon/evening before starting work at midnight. It’s sustainable with blackout curtains, supportive family, and strict sleep discipline. Burnout is common after 6-12 months without proper setup.

3. Do I need my Filipino hire to work full Pacific Time hours?

Only if they handle live phone support, real-time chat, or need to respond to you instantly all day. Most roles work better with 3-4 hours morning overlap (6-10 AM Pacific = 9 PM-1 AM Manila) plus async work during their daytime. Content creation, bookkeeping, project management, and development rarely need full Pacific coverage.