A large majority of Filipino consumers (83%) want food companies to source their eggs from cage-free environments, with 95% agreeing that hens should never be kept in cages, according to findings from a nonprofit think-tank.
Amid this strong public support, a new advocacy group called the Pinas Initiative for Accountability (PIA) was launched earlier this week to push multinational corporations to honor their commitments to cage-free sourcing in the Philippines.
“Filipino consumers are being left behind in a time when they deserve transparency. It’s not enough to make promises abroad and hide behind silence locally. We call on local authorities to take action to protect our Filipino consumers,” said Nancy Samonte, program manager of PIA.
Despite growing demand and the availability of cage-free eggs from local producers, no law currently requires companies to disclose their progress toward animal welfare commitments.
This October, PIA will release a 2025 Cage-Free Tracker that maps the commitments of Philippine-based companies revealing who’s walking the talk and who’s not.
Cage-free systems are globally recognized as more humane, allowing hens to engage in natural behaviors such as perching, nesting, and dust bathing—conditions far removed from the pain and restriction of battery cages.
Some Filipino companies have made commitments.
Jollibee, for instance, pledges to go 100% cage-free in the US by 2025 and globally by 2035. Yet many multinational brands operating in the Philippines continue to lag behind, offering few updates or transparency about their local transition plans.
“Our consumers already buy into global brands that market themselves as ethical and sustainable. If those same brands are charging premium prices locally while cutting corners on animal welfare they follow elsewhere, then we are being lied to,” Samonte added.
PIA is actively engaging with government agencies to integrate cage-free efforts into the country’s ESG (environmental, social, and governance) and food sustainability frameworks. It is also in direct dialogue with major brands to push for the publication of local transition plans that reflect their global pledges.
With 2025 draws to a close, PIA warns that the public has yet to see clear progress.
“The goal is simple: Empower consumers and pressure companies to stop treating ethical sourcing as optional in the Philippine market. We want Filipinos to see which companies are true to their word, and which ones are not,” Samonte said.
