A new digital platform is helping Filipino consumers maintain their dining and lifestyle habits amid a sharp increase in the cost of living by offering nationwide buy-one-get-one deals.
The Philippine Statistics Authority reported that the country’s inflation rate increased to 8.5 percent in April 2026 from 4.2 percent in March 2026. This economic shift has forced everyday consumers to stretch their budgets, often treating dining out and weekend cafe visits as unaffordable luxuries.
BuyBuddy launched as the first buy-one-get-one subscription app for dining and lifestyle in the Philippines to address these modern budget constraints. For a monthly subscription fee of P299, users unlock exclusive vouchers across a curated roster of food merchants, receiving two items for the price of one during their dining experiences.
The platform also aims to support the local business ecosystem. Micro, small and medium enterprises face shrinking profit margins as production costs balloon, making it difficult to attract new patrons and maintain foot traffic in a competitive market.
BuyBuddy operates as a risk-free customer-acquisition tool for these local businesses by charging merchants zero setup fees and zero ad spend. The structure allows partner merchants to attract new visitors and increase daily foot traffic without the hefty advertising expenses or steep commission fees required by traditional marketing platforms.
“BuyBuddy was built to solve the consumer budget and business growth gap,” BuyBuddy founder and chief executive Raquel Decena said.
“By connecting value-driven customers with quality merchants, we ensure that subscribers can enjoy great food and amazing experiences at no additional cost while businesses grow sustainably,” said Decena.
The members-only digital platform positions itself as a collaborative growth engine rather than just a discount service. By connecting value-driven consumers with quality merchants, the app attempts to prove that a premium lifestyle and sustainable business growth can coexist despite ongoing inflation fatigue.
The BuyBuddy app is available for download, and interested subscribers or partner merchants can find more details on the company’s social media channels.
