Philippines Standards Coalition established to reduce harmful alcohol use

The Philippines Standards Coalition (PSC), an industry-wide partnership that brings together leading alcohol producers, e-commerce platforms, and related industry associations, including Diageo, Pernod Ricard, Moët Hennessy, Brown-Forman, and Bacardi, the Philippine Association of Sari-sari Store and Carinderia Owners (PASCO), Sugbo Wine, Winery, Singlemalt, Booze Shop, and Flasked, was established to reduce harmful alcohol use.

At the launch event on Friday, October 25, 2024, the founding members of the Coalition signed a pledge promoting responsible marketing and sales practices. 

The pledge underscores the coalition’s commitment to preventing minors from accessing and purchasing alcohol products, with a special focus on PASCO, which represents 7,000 micro-retailers who are key sellers of alcohol in the Philippines. 

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), global data from 2010 to 2019 shows a 20% fall in alcohol-related deaths globally, demonstrating significant progress in less than a decade. However, further efforts are needed to address alcohol-related harm in the Philippines where indicators show lower declines. 

As part of the pledge, signatories stated:

• We firmly believe beer, wine and spirits are adult drinks and oppose the marketing, promotion and sale of alcohol beverages to minors. 
• We put in place measures and practices to prevent marketing, promotion or sale of alcohol beverages to those below the LPA. 
• We equip our employees and partners with training and information to promote responsible marketing and retail practices. 
• We regularly review and monitor marketing channels to ensure that advertising and promotional materials are not targeting minors or promoting irresponsible drinking behaviors.

APISWA representative Siau Xi Goh said, “The launch of the Philippines Standards Coalition demonstrates our industry’s commitment to addressing an important area of alcohol-related harm, which is the access to and consumption of alcohol by minors. These standards should be applied by all levels of the supply chain, from producers to distributors and retailers, to support existing government legislation including the Legal Purchase Age (LPA) at 18 years old. The PSC is part of our broader efforts to reduce harmful alcohol consumption and promote a culture of responsible drinking for those who choose to drink by leveraging industry self-regulation and collaboration with government and community partners.”

Supported by the Asia Pacific International Spirits and Wines Alliance (APISWA) and the Alcoholic Beverages Alliance of the Philippines (ABAPI), PASCO is leading an ongoing Responsible Micro-Retailing Campaign as part of the pledge.

The campaign includes a Training of Trainers programme and a nationwide community rollout.

The campaign is focused on educating sari-sari store owners about their legal and social responsibility in preventing the sale of alcohol to vulnerable individuals, such as minors, pregnant women, and those planning to drive.

Frontline retailers gained practical knowledge in age verification and learned strategies to avoid enabling underage purchases, even indirectly.

The training served as an important reminder to store owners and sellers about their role in protecting their communities, while also reinforcing the sari-sari store organization's commitment to equipping members with both business skills and community responsibility. 

As of October 25, more than 200 sari-sari store owners across 13 cities in the general Metro Manila area have been successfully trained through this campaign. The training is slated to be rolled out to all the 7,000 sari-sari store owner-members of PASCO.

PASCO National President Elilyn S. Gadia said, “The mission of the PSC is to create an environment where industry responsibility and government regulation come together to ensure alcohol products are consumed in a safe way. This includes ensuring responsive retail service and a robust age verification system at the retail level, including at community-based micro-retailers, also known as sari-sari stores. Such mechanisms will reduce harm while still ensuring that the local retail, hospitality and F&B industries can continue to thrive.”

Philippines Senator Win Gatchalian said in a video message at the event: “The launch of the Philippine Standards Coalition is a major step in uniting stakeholders, the alcohol beverage industry, the sari-sari stores and carinderia owners and key groups in the country to promote responsible practice, as tackling harmful alcohol consumption requires collective action.”

The WHO’s Global Alcohol Action Plan 2022–2030 aims for a 20% reduction in harmful alcohol use by 2030, compared to 2010 levels. The launch of the PSC reinforces the Philippines’ commitment to achieving this target.

The PSC was launched alongside a panel discussion on the same day at the Dusit Thai Manila Hotel, that explored how public and private stakeholders across the alcohol value chain can contribute to public health initiatives in a whole-of-society approach to creating a responsible, moderate drinking culture.

The welcome address was delivered by ABAPI Chair Nick Sonderup, followed by a keynote message from PASCO President Elilyn Gadia and a video message from Philippines Senator Win Gatchalian. Speakers at a panel discussion, which was moderated by RJ Ledesma, Editor-in-Chief of The Business Manual, and prominent television journalist, included:

• Rachanatorn Laohaphan, ABAPI President
• Victoria Aguinaldo, PASCO Board of Trustees
• Atty. Rowie Daroy-Morales, University of the Philippines College of Law Associated Professor

The launch of PSC builds on other recent efforts by the alcohol industry to promote self-regulation. In 2023, ABAPI reiterated and expanded its pledge to promote responsible practices in the online sale of alcohol amidst the rapid growth of e-commerce sales.

On the same occasion, ABAPI also joined 17 e-commerce platforms, brand owners and industry groups, including the online shopping platform Lazada, in signing an e-commerce MOU by the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) to combat the illicit trade of alcohol online.