Converting Gulf Standard Time to Philippine Time (GST To PHT)

You’re sitting in Dubai at 9 am, sipping your morning coffee.

Your Filipino remote worker is eating lunch at 1 pm.

That’s the GST to PHT time difference in a nutshell.

Philippine Time runs 4 hours ahead of Gulf Standard Time. Always. No daylight saving time complications. No twice-yearly clock changes to remember.

It’s one of the simpler time zone conversions you’ll deal with when hiring internationally.

Hour-by-Hour GST to PHT Conversion

Here’s exactly what time it is in the Philippines when you’re looking at your clock in the Gulf:

Simple pattern. Add 4 hours to your GST time, and you get PHT.

What About Daylight Saving Time?

Neither the Gulf region nor the Philippines observes daylight saving time.

The time difference stays constant year-round. No spring forward, no fall back. No confusion twice a year about whether it’s 4 hours or 5 hours difference.

This table stays accurate every single day of the year:

If you’re working with team members in countries that do observe daylight saving time like the US, UK, or Australia you’ll deal with shifting time differences twice a year.

But GST to PHT? Rock solid. Always 4 hours.

This consistency makes long-term scheduling significantly easier.

The Best Times for Real-Time Collaboration

Not every working relationship needs constant real-time meetings.

Some teams thrive on asynchronous work. They communicate through detailed messages, use project management tools, and rarely need to be online simultaneously.

But if you do need overlap time, here’s what works:

8 am to 2 pm GST is your golden window.

During these hours, it’s 12 pm to 6 pm in the Philippines. Your Filipino team member is in their afternoon work block. They’re past their lunch break. They’re productive. They’re available.

This gives you 6 solid hours of potential meeting time.

That’s more overlap than many US-based employers get with Filipino workers, where the time difference stretches to 12-13 hours.

If you’re in the Gulf region, you’re actually in a decent position.

Setting Up for Long-Term Success

The GST to PHT conversion is simple math.

The relationship management around that time difference is more nuanced.

Start with a probationary period where you figure out what works. Maybe you think you need daily video calls, but after two weeks you realize that three times a week is plenty.

Maybe your remote worker initially agrees to 7 am PHT start times but realizes they’re more productive starting at 9 am. Have those conversations. Adjust.

Regular check-ins about working hours and availability prevent small frustrations from becoming big problems.

“Is our current meeting schedule working for you?” Simple question. Important information.

The employers getting the best results from Filipino remote workers aren’t the ones who figured out the perfect time zone system from day one.

They’re the ones who communicate openly, adjust based on what actually works, and treat the time difference as a solvable logistics challenge rather than a barrier.

Your 8:30 am GST is their 12:30 pm PHT.

That’s the conversion.

Everything else is about how you work together around it.