I keep hearing conflicting information about how to keep a Canadian phone number for banking.

I use the fong world app. You can pick a number anywhere in Canada, it's perfect for receiving bank SMS, and calls are free too.

It depends on how long you'll be in the Philippines. Philippine plans are much cheaper, so you could do this: A- Port your Sasktel number to Fongo and buy a local SIM (all Canadian calls and texts go over data) B- Use a Sasktel roaming plan and not worry about it (without a local number you might not be able to use some local apps in the Philippines) C- Downgrade your Sasktel plan to the cheapest one so you can still receive calls and texts (or not, if you don't need to), and add a local SIM for data when you arrive Most contact is through Viber or WhatsApp, so it's good to get familiar with both. The two big carriers are Smart and Globe, and coverage differs by area, so find out which is better where you'll be staying.

I'm from Toronto and my plan roams for free in the Philippines. Both Telus and Freedom Mobile have this feature. It's $50, $55 a month.

I still use all my Canadian business and personal banking with just an email address. In 4 years without a Canadian number I haven't had a single problem.