Christy Balita
Research expert covering the Philippines
Alcoholic beverage in the Philippines - statistics & facts
Drinking is a vital part of the Filipino culture, and alcoholic beverages are usually consumed during family celebrations and on special occasions. In some parts of the country, it is common to see groups of people sitting in front of their houses or on the streets enjoying beer and liquor on a makeshift table while singing karaoke. Although the nature of drinking has changed as more pubs and bars emerge, the revenue of the alcoholic drinks market in the Philippines is not expected to slow down in the coming years. Thanks to the country’s young population and increasing disposable income, household spending on alcoholic beverages and tobacco has stood at around 200 billion Philippine pesos each year since 2020.
Aside from beer, Filipinos have also developed a taste for spirits and wine. When it comes to spirits and liquor, gin is the most consumed spirit type, followed by brandy and dark rum. San Miguel Corporation was also the leading producer of spirits in 2022, with its Ginebra San Miguel gin accounting for almost half of the spirits market share. Meanwhile, wine consumption has grown steadily since 2018, with the majority of the wine supply being imported from the United States and Australia. In 2022, Novellino held almost half of the wine market share in the Philippines, followed by Carlo Rossi.
Filipinos have a soft spot for beer
Among the different types of alcoholic beverages available on the market, Filipinos have a strong preference for beer, especially mid-priced lager. Aside from being the least expensive type of alcohol, beer is also readily available in sari-sari stores or convenience stores. In 2022, beer drinkers in the Philippines consumed about 2.3 billion liters of beer and spent about 13.5 million U.S. dollars per person on the beverage in the previous year. Despite the increasing popularity of imported beer, Red Horse and San Miguel Beer remained the leading beer brands in the Philippines in 2021. Both brands are products of San Miguel Corporation, which remains the leading beer producer in the country, followed by Asia Brewery Inc.Aside from beer, Filipinos have also developed a taste for spirits and wine. When it comes to spirits and liquor, gin is the most consumed spirit type, followed by brandy and dark rum. San Miguel Corporation was also the leading producer of spirits in 2022, with its Ginebra San Miguel gin accounting for almost half of the spirits market share. Meanwhile, wine consumption has grown steadily since 2018, with the majority of the wine supply being imported from the United States and Australia. In 2022, Novellino held almost half of the wine market share in the Philippines, followed by Carlo Rossi.
Drinking behavior of Filipinos
The minimum legal drinking age in the Philippines is set at 18 years; however, underage drinking is widespread and prevalent. It is easy to buy alcohol from sari-sari stores or convenience stores, and usually no identification is required. Some regions also produce their own alcoholic drinks, such as tuba and lambanog, which can easily be bought in the neighborhood. It was estimated that in 2023, Filipinos consumed about 6.26 liters of pure alcohol per person, and residents of Region 10 had the highest share of binge drinkers nationwide. The drinking culture in the Philippines is not expected to change in the coming years, despite the imposition of excise tax on alcoholic beverages.
