PHILIPPINE startup Packworks on Thursday said beer sales in Cebu City rose five-fold amid a liquor ban during the Sinulog Festival.
In a statement, the firm said the increase was determined using data from its Sari IQ market intelligence platform. About two million people attended the festival.
“The total gross merchandise value of beer products from sari-sari stores within the Sinulog Festival vicinity was recorded on Jan. 15, the day of the main festivity, which outperformed brandy and gin compared with the previous day,” Packworks said.
It attributed higher beer sales during the period to stricter enforcement of the liquor ban at larger retail establishments that caused people to buy from mom-and-pop stores, which are more lenient.
Filipinos tend to defy liquor bans during festivals since drinking is linked with socializing, as shown by the blood compact between Filipino natives and Spanish colonizers in the 1600, said Packworks research partner Fourth Wall.
“During the pre-Hispanic era, two parties would wound themselves with a dagger and drip their blood into a cup of wine, where they would then drink from the same cup to mark their bond of friendship,” Fourth Wall Research Director John Brylle L. Bae said. “This symbolized that they are close as blood brothers.” — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave