california: Also, what is the best (most economical) way to call someone in the Philippines from my home in California? A calling card? What are the steps involved? I have never made an international call.|||It's almost 3:00PM (Monday) in CA. In Leyte (as in the entire Philippines), it's almost 6:00AM (Tuesday). Yes, they are ahead by 15 hours. How to use your prepaid calling card: Dial the access number on your card. It should be 1-800-xxx-xxxx. Then enter your PIN. You have to scratch that thing on the card to reveal the PIN. Then dial the number 011-6353-xxx-xxxx. For one card you will usually get to talk for 35 minutes. 011- international operator 63-country code 53-area code of Leyte|||Everywhere in Philippines is 15 hours ahead of California when America is on daylight saving time. When they are on standard time Philippines is 16 hour ahead. If you just pick up the phone and call you will pay a lot particularly if you talk along time. The best way to call is to use a phone card. The one I used when I lived in California was L.A. Aggressive or Value Call LA. You can buy them in most liquor stores or convenience stores. You get about 18 minutes for $5. There are a lot of better deals but no guaranty that the card will work or that you will get a clear connection. The two cards that I have described worked the best for me. You scratch off the pin number and then call the local number shown on the back of the card. You will be asked to enter the pin number so you enter it and wait to be ask for the number that you want to call. Then you enter the number in the Philippines. Here all cel phone numbers have 11 digits and start with 09. If you are calling form America you need to enter 011639 and then all the 9 numbers following the 9. If it is a land line you need to enter 01163 and the number including the city code. Uniontelecard markets LA Agressive and they use a logo of IDT. If you live in the bay area the card maybe is SF Agressive??|||The difference of time between California and the Philippines, irregardless which part of the Philippines, is nine (09) hours. It would be best for you to buy a phone card from any Filipino/Oriental store as it is more cheaper comparing if you will use your land line carrier. Calling instructions is found at the back of the prepaid calling card.