Long before artisanal spirits and craft cocktails filled today’s bar menus, Filipinos were already sharing a homegrown drink steeped in tradition: lambanog. Distilled from coconut nectar and crafted across generations, lambanog has long been part of Filipino culture—passed around during celebrations, gatherings, and late-night conversations, serving as both a symbol of hospitality and a storyteller of our rural heritage. It is bold, shared, and unmistakably Filipino.

The awarding ceremony, held last December 2 at Dusit Thani Manila, highlighted the depth and diversity of this year’s competition. Zacarias first emerged as one of the ten national category winners before advancing to the final round, where he stood alongside inspiring finalists representing youth and senior citizens, entrepreneurs, persons with disabilities, OFWs, members of the workforce, the LGBTQ+ community, creatives, indigenous peoples, and Cebuana Lhuillier clients.