The initiative coincided with the observance of Rabies Awareness Month and featured key messages from prominent animal welfare advocates, including Congressman Brian Poe, Senator Francis Pangilinan, and De La Salle University Professor Laureen Velasco, founder of the DLSU Pusa advocacy group.
Advancing animal welfare and public safety

In his keynote address, Rep. Poe underscored that safeguarding animal welfare is a collective responsibility and reiterated his commitment to advancing legislative reforms, including the proposed revision of the Animal Welfare Act.
Meanwhile, in a video message, Sen. Pangilinan reaffirmed his support for stronger policies that ensure humane treatment and increased penalties for animal cruelty, stressing the importance of sustained collaboration among stakeholders.

Professor Velasco shared the inspiring journey of DLSU Pusa, highlighting its grassroots efforts to rescue stray cats and foster a more compassionate and socially responsible community.

Partnerships driving meaningful impact

The advocacy event also reinforced Meralco’s CATropa initiative, spearheaded by Vice President and Head of Corporate Communications Joe Zaldarriaga, which integrates animal welfare into the company’s broader mission of promoting public safety and social responsibility.

Zaldarriaga emphasized that multi-sector partnerships are crucial in advancing humane and sustainable solutions to stray animal management while strengthening public awareness on vaccination and responsible pet care.
“Through initiatives like this, we take meaningful steps toward preventing rabies while addressing the challenge of stray animal homelessness in a humane and sustainable way,” he said.

Community-centered initiatives

Beyond seminars and policy discussions, the event featured a range of activities designed to promote advocacy at the grassroots level, including:

TNVR (Trap-Neuter-Vaccinate-Return) and vaccination drives for Meralco community cats
Pet adoption campaigns
A pet fashion show
Storytelling sessions for employees’ children
The program was made possible with the support of various partners, including local veterinary offices in Pasig and Mandaluyong, animal care organizations, and private sector sponsors.
Through sustained collaboration and advocacy, Meralco continues to champion initiatives that foster compassion, strengthen rabies prevention efforts, and promote responsible pet ownership—contributing to a healthier and more harmonious society for both humans and animals.

According to a news release, of 67 leading restaurant brands evaluated — representing the vast majority of the Philippines’ dining landscape — 47 chains operating 11,277 locations have pledged to fully transition to cage-free eggs.

This represents 78% of all chain restaurant locations nationwide — the highest concentration in Asia. This total includes brands that have already completed their transition, such as Nanyang and Peri-Peri, along with many of the industry’s biggest names, which have set timelines to implement 100% cage-free sourcing in the years ahead.

Filipino favorites, including Jollibee, Max’s, Chowking, Mang Inasal, Red Ribbon, Greenwich, and Shakey’s have made pledges, alongside international giants such as KFC, Dunkin’, Pizza Hut, Subway, and Burger King.

“The Philippines restaurant industry has demonstrated remarkable leadership in adopting cage-free egg policies,” said Robyn Del Rosario, Sustainability Program Lead at Lever Foundation, an international NGO that collaborated with all of the domestic restaurant groups and a number of the international groups in developing their policies.

“With 70% of major restaurant brands — representing 78% of chain restaurant locations across the country — already committed to cage-free egg sourcing, we’re witnessing the sector’s recognition that animal welfare, food safety, and sustainability are essential business priorities,” Del Rosario added.

The shift to cage-free eggs addresses both animal welfare and food quality. Cage-free systems allow hens to move freely and engage in natural behaviors such as nesting, perching, dust-bathing, and short flights in indoor barn environments — behaviors completely restricted in conventional battery cage systems where hens spend their entire lives in spaces smaller than a sheet of paper.

Dozens of peer-reviewed scientific studies have documented that hens raised outside cages produce eggs with improved food safety profiles, higher nutritional value, and better quality metrics. The Philippine government recognized this shift in 2020 when the Bureau of Agriculture and Fisheries Standards developed comprehensive animal welfare guidelines for cage-free eggs. Meanwhile, an increasing number of consumers are opting for plant-based alternatives, choosing to leave eggs off their plates entirely as the best way to support hen welfare.

The momentum in the country’s restaurant sector accelerated significantly over the past year, with three major restaurant groups setting cage-free egg policies for a combined 2,140 locations. These groups are 333 Foods (operating BreadTalk, Nanyang, and Banana Leaf), Max’s Group (operating Pancake House and Yellow Cab), and Century Pacific Food Inc. (operating Shakey’s, Potato Corner, and Peri-Peri).

Only 20 of the leading chain restaurant brands in the country still serve caged eggs to their customers, with no timeline for shifting to cage-free. These include Goldilocks (which publicly pledged to set a cage-free egg policy by the end of 2025, but failed to do so), Army Navy, Wildflour, Nono’s, Italianni’s, McDonalds, and Starbucks.

The 2025 Philippines Restaurant Industry Cage-Free Egg Scorecard evaluates companies on a four-tier scale: A (100% cage-free egg implementation achieved in the Philippines), B (global cage-free egg commitment and timeline), C (Philippines-specific cage-free egg commitment and timeline), and F (no cage-free egg policy in the Philippines).

“The transformation we’re seeing is remarkable, and we’re eager to collaborate with the remaining companies and share the learnings from industry leaders who’ve already made successful commitments,” said Del Rosario.

“The path forward is clear, and we’re confident more brands will catch up with this industry-wide shift in the year ahead. Cage-free sourcing is not just a more ethical choice—it’s becoming the baseline expectation from consumers and the competitive standard in the Philippines,” added Del Rosario.

The two day activity, jointly organized by Meralco, One Meralco Foundation, and Landco, aims to address concerns on rabies and the growing population of community animals in the Laiya beach area. Several resorts have observed an increase in stray cats and dogs, which in some instances has raised safety concerns among guests.

“Through responsible animal population management and strong collaboration with Meralco CATropa and our partners, we are advancing long term, sustainable solutions that safeguard animal welfare and uphold public safety. Our goal is to ensure that Laiya remains a harmonious and welcoming destination for generations to come,” said Jhem Fauni Azarcon, Project Director and Head of Community Development of Landco Pacific Corporation.

Provincial Agriculturist Rodrigo Bautista welcomed the effort, emphasizing the value of community cooperation. “We fully support this program because this will help reduce cases of rabies. Let us work together, because community participation is important if we want to stop rabies and live in a healthy community,” he said.

As part of the activity, Biyaya Animal Care conducted a specialized training session on the flank method to equip provincial veterinarians with advanced techniques for managing animal overpopulation. Maxime and UNAHCO Yumyum Dog Food also extended support by distributing freebies to participants and their pets.

Meralco has long implemented its Trap Neuter Vaccinate and Return program to manage the population of community animals in its facilities. Through its Spay It Forward campaign, the company partners with various organizations and local government units to expand the reach of its animal welfare efforts.

“We believe that caring for animals is part of caring for people. Through programs like this, we hope to inspire others to act because every life matters and every effort counts. We invite everyone to continue working together so that every animal receives the care they deserve,” said Jeffrey O. Tarayao, Meralco Chief CSR Officer and President of One Meralco Foundation.

Meralco Vice President and Head of Corporate Communications Joe R. Zaldarriaga echoed the company’s commitment. “Animal welfare is a core part of our malasakit culture at Meralco. Through partnerships like this, we strive to create safer and kinder communities, one initiative at a time,” he said.

Since its launch in 2024, the animal welfare campaign has supported more than 670 cats and dogs in various communities, underscoring Meralco’s commitment to inclusive and sustainable development through humane practices.

Organized by the Chilean Meat Exporters Association (ChileCarne) through its ChilePork brand, the event gathered over 120 guests from the import, hospitality, and food sectors, along with officials from the National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS) led by Executive Director Dr. Roberto Umali, and Mr. Pedro Pizarro, Consul of Chile to Manila.

The evening served as both a cultural and commercial showcase, highlighting Chile’s reputation as a trusted and sustainable food supplier built on natural biosecurity advantages, advanced processing technologies, and full traceability across its production chain.

Participating Chilean companies were Agrosuper, Coexca S.A., Maxagro, and AASA, reaffirmed their shared commitment to the Philippine market, emphasizing their dedication to long-term partnerships and food security collaboration in the region.

Guests were treated to an exquisite culinary presentation by the Grand Hyatt Manila’s culinary team, featuring an array of premium Chilean pork dishes that underscored the product’s quality, versatility, and rich flavor profile.

Chile’s pork industry continues to lead globally in sustainability and animal welfare, with 95% of its production certified under the Chile Origen Consciente program, a national initiative aligned with international standards on environmental responsibility and ethical resource use.

As one of the world’s leading pork exporters, Chile is actively working to enhance agri-food cooperation with the Philippines, with both countries exploring new opportunities under the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) framework.

Through this annual celebration, ChilePork reaffirms its commitment to fostering enduring trade relations and promoting Chilean pork as a high-quality, sustainable product for the Philippine market.

Since early 2025, leading players such as The Figaro Group, Andok’s, and 333 Foods—with nearly 600 outlets combined—along with Cebu Pacific Catering Services and other operators, have pledged to go 100% cage-free in their egg sourcing.

Building on this momentum, Shakey’s Pizza Asia Ventures, Inc. (PSE:PIZZA) and Century Pacific Food, Inc. (PSE:CNPF)—two of the country’s biggest food service and manufacturing groups—have also committed to sourcing only cage-free eggs across all restaurants and product lines by 2030.

SPAVI, which manages brands like Shakey’s, Potato Corner, and Peri-Peri Charcoal Chicken, said in a statement that all its brands will use only cage-free fresh eggs from accredited suppliers. Century Pacific will implement the same transition for all its food products within the same timeframe.

Cage-free systems allow hens to move, nest, and forage naturally, producing healthier birds and better-quality eggs. For brands, this shift aligns with global sustainability goals and rising consumer expectations for ethical and responsible sourcing.

“When companies like Shakey’s, Century Pacific, Figaro, and Andok’s adopt cage-free policies, they set a powerful precedent for the entire industry,” said Robyn del Rosario, Sustainability Program Lead at Lever Foundation, which worked with these firms.

A 2024 GMO Research survey found that 95% of Filipinos believe hens should not be caged, and 80% prefer brands that use cage-free eggs. Responding to this demand, Bounty Fresh plans to expand cage-free production by 30% by 2026 after seeing a 41% rise in cage-free egg sales early this year.

This growing movement marks a turning point for the Philippine food industry—where animal welfare, product integrity, and sustainability are becoming core to brand leadership and competitiveness.

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.