# PHP date manipulation techniques
![php](https://www.php.net/images/logos/new-php-logo.png "PHP")

## ISO string date to PHP date object
```php
<?php
$date = new DateTime('2000-01-01');
echo $date->format('Y-m-d H:i:s');
?>
```
See the PHP [date()](https://www.php.net/manual/en/function.date.php) function for date format references.

## Date today in the Philippines
```php
<?php
$today = new DateTime("now", new DateTimeZone('Asia/Manila'));
var_dump( $today );
?>
```

## Setting the default timezone
```php
<?php
date_default_timezone_set('Asia/Manila');
?>
```

## Converting the timezone
```php
<?php
// The date
date_default_timezone_set('UTC');
$plain_date = date('Y-m-d H:i:s');
/**
 * or... alternatively set it using a string value
$plain_date = '2020-01-01 00:00:00';
 */

// Prepare the timezones
$utc = new DateTimeZone('+0000');
$ph  = new DateTimeZone('+0800');

// Conversion procedure
$datetime = new DateTime( $plain_date, $utc ); // UTC timezone
$datetime->setTimezone( $ph ); // Philippines timezone

echo $datetime->format('Y-m-d H:i:s');
?>
```

## Numeric month to String month
```php
$month = 3;
(\DateTime::createFromFormat('!m', $month))->format('F'); \\ March
```

## Reference
**PHP**, DateTime class, URL: [https://www.php.net/manual/en/datetime.format.php](https://www.php.net/manual/en/datetime.format.php)