Pokémon fever continues to grip Philippines

MANILA, Philippines – The Pokémon Company has made significant strides in expanding its presence in the Philippines. This exciting development has been marked by various Pokémon-themed events that have captivated fans across the nation at the beginning of this year — like the Pokémon Run, organized by RUNRIO Inc., and the Pokémon Fun Day in partnership with SM Malls.

"Pokémon is a brand that aims to enrich both the real world and the virtual world with Pokémon. By bringing Pokémon closer to people of all ages, we hope to bring a more enriched life to everyone," shared the team. 

“This mission resonates in their efforts to ‘bring the world together through Pokémon’," the company’s Asia Business Development Team told Philstar.com in an online interview.

An estimated 10,000 fans signed up for the Pokémon Run last February 9 at the SM Mall of Asia Complex, while the Pokémon Fun Day is happening nationwide across 13 different SM branches until October this year.

"We are aware that there are a lot of Pokémon fans and communities in the Philippines. Official Pokémon-themed events like the Pokémon Run have not been possible until recently, so we think the Pokémon fans in the Philippines were really excited and looking forward to official Pokémon-themed events," explained the team.

The Pokémon Run last February drew an estimated 10,000 fans.

During the recent Pokémon-themed events, tutorials for the Pokémon Trading Card Game were held to entice different generations to try something that has always been a staple to the brand. 

"Those who have been long interested in the Pokémon Trading Card Game but had no opportunity to learn how to play the game now have the chance to learn for free from certified Pokémon Trading Card Game tutors. Also, by participating in the tutorial session, participants will receive a set of three Pokémon trading cards and a paper playmat. The free tutorial sessions are held every weekend for all the malls included in the Pokémon Fun Day caravan except SM Taytay, SM Angono, and SM San Mateo," the team elaborated.

But these two events are not the only ones for 2025.

"We are currently in talks with other favorite stores and brands in the Philippines, and there are definitely more in store this 2025. Please stay tuned for more exciting updates," the team added.

And looking ahead to the brand’s 30th anniversary in 2026, The Pokémon Company is keen on building partnerships with more local brands and companies to continue their momentum in the country.

"We are continuously looking for more local companies and brands in the Philippines that we can partner with. Pokémon will be having its 30th anniversary in 2026, and if there would be other opportunities for partnerships with local brands and companies for this celebration, we would like to positively talk about it and consider them in preparation for this big celebration.”