Filipino consumers are expected to sustain spending through the Christmas season despite some softening in demand, industry leaders said Monday.
The broader Philippine retail sector is showing cautious optimism for the second half of 2025, banking on the resilience of holiday spending and government action to address weather-related disruptions.
SM Investments Corp. vice chairman Teresita Sy-Coson said retail activity remains resilient amid economic and political uncertainties.
“Christmas will still be OK. You just go to Hyper Mart and you can see. There’s always some softening, but we’ll be okay,” she said on the sidelines of the Management Association of the Philippines’ annual meeting.
Philippine Retailers Association president Alice Liu echoed this sentiment. “We’re a little bit cautious but optimistic. With Filipinos, Christmas is never canceled. That cultural consistency in spending behavior keeps retailers going,” Liu said.
Sy-Coson said demand may ease slightly after the holidays, but businesses should continue pushing forward. “After maybe the holidays, people may not buy as much, but we just have to continue. Whatever political noises, we just have to continue,” she said.
