The country’s cocktail scene thrives in community-driven bars and hidden hideaways, and for the first time ever, it was celebrated on a national stage with the inaugural Philippine Cocktail Fiesta. Over 100 bars from across Metro Manila participated and flew in regional talents from Cebu, Iloilo, Dumaguete and Siargao. Cebu wasn’t about to be outshone.
The Lost Unicorn’s John Park and Darrel de Garcia kicked off the weeklong celebration at Skybar, Solaire North Resort as its guest shifts on Nov. 17, 2025, serving imaginative cocktails that highlighted the island’s emerging mixology scene.
“Definitely, it’s an honor to be chosen to be a part of the Philippine Cocktail Fiesta, and we are very excited for this considering the cocktail scene in Cebu is fairly young and new,” wrote Park in a SunStar Lifestyle digital interview.
Korean-Filipino inspired creations
Park’s cocktails reflect his Korean roots as a restaurant and bar owner in Cebu City. “Our cocktails are inspired by Korean drinks, ingredients or snacks — Yakgwa, Makgeolli, Bingsu,” he explained. Each one has an element that represents those flavors.
Representing Cebu on a national stage was a way to show the country that Cebu’s beverage scene is evolving fast. “We’re no longer just about lechon and beaches,” Park said. “Cebu has a growing cocktail community, and this was a chance to share it with everyone.”
It was Park and de Garcia’s first time working with Destileria Limtuaco using their rum, calamansi liqueur, and coconut cream liqueur during the opening of the weeklong celebration. For their shift at Solaire Resort North, they brought three of their signature drinks — Yakgwa, Bingsu and Banana Milk — that complemented the spirits perfectly.
For their Big Fuzz shift in Makati on Nov. 18, they used another set of spirits and incorporated them into their Omija, Makgeolli and Maesil concoctions, showcasing their flexibility. But at the end of the day, nothing really changes for them. “It’s still the same cocktails that we serve from our bar, and we plan to only do what we always do there: have great conversations, a little bit of fun, and hopefully they’ll see a glimpse of Cebu,” Park said.
Merging tradition with innovation
Back in Cebu, Park’s standout drinks merge tradition with innovation. Banana Milk, a childhood-inspired cocktail, combined dark rum, spiced syrup, black tea, yogurt, and banana milk, poured tableside from a banana-shaped flask to evoke nostalgia and delight. Bingsu, a Korean halo-halo twist, incorporated local ube and dried young coconut, seamlessly blending Korean and Filipino flavors. Park emphasized harmony in his cocktails.
“Even with Korean flavors, we use local ingredients naturally. Every component should work together to form one complete drink. We focus on balance and making sure all the components work together. Some elements can be lighter, some can be stronger, but they should come together as one complete drink. We purposely match each technique depending on the drink we create.”
Journey behind the bar
His path into bartending began with curiosity and quickly became a passion for craft and community. “More than the fun image it has. The community behind it is great, the attention to details that each bartender puts into their drinks. Plus, I’ve been lucky enough to get support from the industry,” wrote Park, recalling his entry into bartending.
As the event wrapped up in Nov. 23, Park and de Garcia offered festival goers a taste of Cebu, its culture and its emerging voice on the national cocktail map.
“Cebu has a great community. The cocktail industry is still rather young and has a lot more potential to grow. What’s good about it is that the interest doesn’t stop, so it’s always exciting to be a part of this industry. The Philippines has a strong bar community, and we get to meet a lot of people from other cities, and we’re really looking forward to making Cebu become part of that growing scene.” S