150-Year History of Tanduay Rum
Tanduay is a Philippine-based rum brand produced by Tanduay Distillers, Inc., a diversified beverage company owned by LT Group, Inc. that also manufactures gin, vodka, brandy, whisky, and flavored alcoholic drinks. The brand maintains as the third best-selling rum in the world for three consecutive years already. Despite declines in 2013, it was awarded by the Spirit Business magazine as the “Rum Brand Champion of 2015” because of its impressive 19% increase of sales in 2014 (SB, 2017). The company is now producing 12 variants of rum brand in order to accommodate the differing tastes of customers. With the successful story of this alcoholic drink in the Philippines, it gives a separate narrative if analyzed with a gender lens.
The brand traces its origin in 1854 in which during this time Philippines was still a colony of Spain. As common to most countries colonized by Spain, Philippine society was conservative on drinking as it deemed an activity only for men. Traditionally, drinking alcohol has been associated with men to celebrate success and to show male sexuality (HRI, 2010). Inuman, the term used by Filipinos for drinking, has always been an important part of every celebration in the country, from a simple gathering to a birthday party to a huge festival (Primer, 2016). However, pulutan, a finger food that goes along with the drinking, is a must for this get together and should be prepared by women. As husbands would gather around the table and talk about how their days went by; wives were busy preparing food at the kitchen, and after cooking, serving it to them.
At the turn of the century, the Philippines was colonized by Americans and a new era had begun. The country was liberated from Spain, public education was established, mass media boomed, and liberal ideas introduced. This happenings paved way to liberate women from cultural and societal blockades that prevented them to experience what men enjoyed for centuries. Women started participating in political affairs of the country, and of course, began joining drinking sessions. Although at first only adult women were accepted to do this, contemporary Philippines is now accepting teenagers. Nevertheless, this culture can be obviously seen in the capital and major cities where bars and clubs are rampant. According to a 2004 report from World Health Organization, women moderate and heavy drinkers were catching at 33.4 percent with men’s 66.6 percent (HRI, 2010).
With this advancement of the society, did the situation of women change while they adapt to this drinking culture? The latest Tanduay rum variant is specifically introduced for female customers, the Tanduay Ice. However, the way it was advertised is a bit tricky and the brand’s website have much to see. Examining media advertisements in the country, the use of women in alcohol ads reiterates the culture in which women give pleasure to men. In print ads particularly calendars, young and daring female models and actresses are the ones marketing the liquor products while wearing bikinis. In radio and television ads, sexy women would usually portray those characters of a beautiful lady serving hard liquors to a group of men partying or chatting. The setting might be different now, but the situation of women serving men hundred years ago did not change at all.
To sum everything up, gender issues in the Philippines has a correlation with the history of alcohol in the country. Rum may have its share story above, but beer has another interesting thing to offer. According to May to June 2012 study by the church-run Radio Veritas, out of 2,500 respondents of beer drinkers nationwide, 48 percent were male and 52 percent were female (Inquirer, 2012). Will this increase of female drinker shifts power of dominance to women or will just give more chances for men to abuse its ‘perceived’ superiority?
References:
Inquirer. (2012). More Filipino women beer drinkers than men, says Radio Veritas study. Retrieved from http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/293788/more-filipino-women-beer-drinkers-than-men-says-radio-veritas-study
HRI. (2010). The Filipino as the Quintessential Drinker. Retrieved from https://www.hri.global/files/2010/05/02/Presentation_23rd_M10_Labajo.pdf
Primer. (2016). Filipino Drinking Culture. Retrieved from http://primer.com.ph/blog/2016/12/11/filipino-drinking-culture/
SB. (2017). Rum Brands Champion 2015. Retrieved from http://www.thespiritsbusiness.com/2015/06/rum-brand-champions-2015/
