Soft drinks are sold virtually everywhere in this country, even deep in the jungle. The price is very low, around 2.75 pesos if bought from a store, even cooled.
All international brands of soft drinks are available. They share the market with a few local creations as Sarsi (which tastes like root beer), Pop Cola, Royal, Tru Orange, Cheers.
Locally produced spirits are ridiculously cheap, too. They cost as low as 20 pesos per liter (about 1 quart). Of the spirits the locally distilled rum is of the best quality, and gin the worst. In Philippine classification spirits are commonly referred to as "wine". A native palm wine is Lambanog; it has the strength and kick of moonshine whiskey.
A most peculiar thing is the fact that the Philippines is probably the only Asian country where tea is not popular. As there is little demand for tea, tea bags, rather than loose tea leaves, are used in hotels and res-taurants, and supermarkets often only sell tea in bags.
Tea is widely consumed, however, by the Chinese populace. The Chinese also don't use tea bags. In real Chinese restaurants, tea comes with the meal without asking and without charge.
Coffee is available everywhere, but mainly instant brands are served. Brewed coffee is found only in better restaurants.
The Philippines also produces milk, marketed by Magnolia, a division of San Miguel. But the quantity produced does not fill the need, so the market includes im-ported powdered, condensed, or evaporated milk.
This page: http://www.cockatoo.com/english/philippines/philippines_dining_guide3.htm
