Mang Inasal, the Philippines’ Grill Expert, reinforced its commitment to nation-building and youth empowerment by supporting the #AmbagNatin: Engage for Change roadshow, a multi-city civic engagement initiative staged across Zamboanga, Pangasinan, and Metro Manila from September to October 2025.
The roadshow served as a platform for dialogue, learning, and action, bringing together citizens, community leaders, local officials, and young participants to address quality-of-life issues that directly affect Filipino communities.
For Mang Inasal, supporting initiatives like Engage for Change reflects a broader mission to uplift Filipino communities beyond the four walls of its restaurants. “Through our Kaing Mang Inasal campaign, we communicate how the brand helps create safe spaces in our over 597 stores nationwide, where everyone is free to be themselves as they enjoy our Ihaw-SARAP meals,” said Mike V. Castro, president of Mang Inasal.
“Our support for Engage for Change is aligned with this commitment. By helping young people engage with local issues, promote civic participation, and find their voice in telling the stories of their communities, we contribute to meaningful change,” Castro added.
Across its three legs, discussions and workshops tackled governance, media literacy, climate resilience, public safety, education, cost-of-living concerns, and digital responsibility—topics deeply rooted in everyday Filipino experiences.
As a key partner of the initiative, Mang Inasal supported its goal of creating safe spaces for conversation, collaboration, and community-driven storytelling. The opening leg, held from September 3 to 6 in Zamboanga in partnership with Ateneo de Zamboanga University and Now You Know, featured a public forum with local government and civil society leaders, alongside workshops that trained selected youth participants as civic engagement volunteers focused on community journalism.
The program then moved to Metro Manila on September 16, hosted at Far Eastern University in celebration of Grandparents’ Day.
Titled “Lolo at Lola Laban Sa Scam,” the intergenerational forum centered on media literacy, fact-checking, and digital safety. Senior citizens and younger family members were equipped with practical tools to protect themselves from scams and disinformation, highlighting the shared responsibility of navigating the digital space safely and responsibly across generations.
The final leg took place in Pangasinan from September 29 to October 2 in collaboration with Pangasinan State University and the Archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan. Students and aspiring storytellers joined hands-on journalism workshops, while a public forum in Dagupan gathered citizens and local leaders to discuss pressing regional concerns, including climate resilience, transportation, education, and the welfare of fisherfolk.
The initiative also reflects Mang Inasal’s core values of mahusay, masayahin, mapagmalasakit, and buo ang loob. Much like its stores that serve as familiar gathering places for families and friends, the brand recognizes the importance of platforms that allow communities to speak up, organize, and take part in shaping a better future.
“Mang Inasal has always been about bringing people together,” Castro added. “Supporting programs like Engage for Change allows us to extend that purpose, not only through food, but through initiatives that inspire social awareness, collaboration, and civic responsibility.”
Through its participation in the multi-city Engage for Change roadshow, Mang Inasal reaffirms its belief that empowered individuals and informed communities are vital to national progress—and that the Filipino youth, when given the right tools and opportunities, can play a powerful role in driving positive change.