Beer, banks, and bandwidth: What's powering the Philippines' brand boom in 2025

The Philippines’ brand landscape is surging, with the nation’s top 50 brands now valued at a combined US$31.8 billion - and it's the everyday sectors of banking, beer, and telecoms that are anchoring this rise.

According to Brand Finance’s Philippines 50 2025 report, service-led and lifestyle-fuelled categories account for over half of the total brand value, with banking brands alone contributing US$11 billion, or 35% of the total. It’s a clear signal that Filipino consumers place strong trust in essentials - and that these industries have mastered the art of long-term brand building.

BDO, for the second year in a row, is the country’s most valuable brand, with its brand value surging 48% to US$3.7 billion. The financial giant expanded its physical reach with 71 new branches and upgraded its digital banking experience - changes that paid off with a bump in customer satisfaction.

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In a marketplace known for emotional loyalty, heritage brands still thrive. Jollibee holds second place with a value of US$2.5 billion, up 8% year-on-year. Its aggressive global expansion strategy - over 1,600 stores in 19 countries - has kept its halo shining. Meanwhile, Bank of the Philippine Islands surged 53% in brand value to take third place, buoyed by robust demand in both retail and corporate banking.

But it’s not just about the biggest. Cebu Pacific takes this year’s crown as the fastest-growing brand, posting an 86% rise in brand value to US$386 million. Its strategy? Regional growth, cargo business optimisation, and strong brand positioning. The airline’s rank moved from 24th to 23rd.

“Leading brands such as BDO, Jollibee, SM Supermalls, and Cebu Pacific are demonstrating how local innovation and meaningful consumer connections can be effectively aligned with broader business reach to achieve impressive national and even international results,” said Alex Haigh, Brand Finance’s managing director for Asia-Pacific.

Strength over size

In a notable shift, SM Supermalls debuted in the rankings not just with US$1.1 billion in brand value, but as the strongest brand in the country. Scoring 95/100 on Brand Finance’s Brand Strength Index, the retail giant now holds the elusive AAA+ rating, driven by rising consumer affinity and likeability metrics.

Alcohol brands, too, are making their presence felt. Red Horse and Bear Brand rank as the second and third strongest brands respectively, with Red Horse sharing SM Supermalls’ 95/100 BSI score.

New entrants are also rewriting the rankings. Emperador (US$1.4 billion) and Ginebra San Miguel (US$732 million) made their spirits sector debut in 7th and 15th places.

Sectoral shifts and surprises

While banking leads in value, the telecom sector’s rise is just as notable. Globe Telecom heads the category at 6th place (US$1.4 billion), amid a sector that has doubled its brand representation year-on-year.

Retail, however, is seeing mixed results. While SM Supermalls dominates, Puregold dropped seven spots to 16th as its brand value fell 9% to US$668 million. The number of real estate brands on the list has doubled this year, though Ayala Land notably saw its brand value decline by 15%.

Brand Finance conducts over 6,000 brand valuations annually, backed by proprietary market research and published in more than 100 global reports. It uses the Royalty Relief method, compliant with ISO 10668, to estimate a brand’s value based on the future revenues it could generate if licensed.

This involves calculating a BSI score, determining an industry-specific royalty rate, projecting brand-related revenues, and discounting them to present value to arrive at the final brand valuation.

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