Metro Manila is in the middle of a new nightlife experience as the first-ever Philippine Cocktail Week takes over the city through Feb. 8, bringing together some of the world’s leading cocktail bars and the Philippines’ finest through neighborhood-based, one-night-only collaborations.

Rather than gathering crowds in a single venue, the four-day celebration unfolds across the city itself. Each night focuses on a different neighborhood, inviting guests to move at their own pace, bar hop freely, and experience how each area comes alive after dark. There are no registrations and no tickets required for the nightly takeovers.

Presented by Maya Black, the event marks the largest and most globally awarded gathering of cocktail bars ever hosted in the Philippines, with 28 internationally celebrated bars collaborating with 28 of Manila’s best.

“This is the first time Manila has welcomed this depth and caliber of international bar talent in a single week, working alongside local bars as collaborators,” a Philippine Cocktail Week representative said. “Philippine Cocktail Week reflects a new chapter in Filipino hospitality—one where the city opens its doors with confidence, generosity, and a strong sense of identity.”

The week opened Feb. 5 in Bonifacio Global City, one of Metro Manila’s most walkable nightlife districts, where international guest bartenders stepped into local bars for the first round of exclusive collaborations.

Tonight, Feb. 6, the spotlight moves to Legazpi Village and Makati Cinema Square. Legazpi offers quieter streets and neighborhood-style bars that feel like natural extensions of the community, while just a few steps away, the former Makati Cinema Square reveals hidden rooms and late-night spots known to run into the early morning hours. Together, they create a contrast between laid-back sipping and high-energy bar hopping.

On Feb. 7, Philippine Cocktail Week heads to Poblacion and Jupiter, where nightlife plans tend to disappear after the first drink. Known for its mix of long-standing watering holes and newer cocktail rooms, the area encourages guests to say yes to one more stop, one more round and one more conversation with strangers who quickly feel like friends.

Across all three nights, visiting bars recognized by Asia’s 50 Best Bars and The World’s 50 Best Bars collaborate with Filipino hosts, creating menus and experiences designed to exist for just one

evening.

The final day on Feb. 8 begins with Sunday Sessions, a ticketed daytime gathering from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Corner House in San Juan. The open-air event brings together international standouts and rising Filipino bar stars for signature drinks, DJ-backed sets and off-menu conversations with global industry leaders shaping bar culture today.

When night falls, the format returns to one-night-only takeovers across Quezon City and San Juan, highlighting neighborhoods that are as local and community-driven as it gets.

As the weekend continues, guests can freely bar hop with no tickets or seat reservations required for the nightly neighborhood takeovers. If one venue fills up, the idea is simply to move on to the next. Those who pay with a Maya Black Credit Card can enjoy 20 percent cashback at participating bars and join the neighborhood stamp rally, collecting stamps at each stop for a chance to receive Philippine Cocktail Week merchandise.

For transportation, guests can get 30 percent off Grab rides to and from participating bars using the code PHCOCKTAILWEEK. The full bar shift schedule is available on the Philippine Cocktail Week Instagram page, and guests are encouraged to tag @mayaiseverything and @philippinecocktailweek when posting about their experience.

Guest shifts happen once, and when they’re done, they’re gone. Each night offers a completely different set of collaborations, making every stop a limited-time experience.

For full schedules, international and local pairings, and updates throughout the week, guests can follow @philippinecocktailweek on Instagram.