Robinsons Dumaguete wins Mall of the Year award

MANILA, Philippines - RLC has again been recognized for its pioneering efforts in commercial centers, this time by the Philippine Retailers Association (PRA).

The PRA has conferred the Shopping Center of the Year for 2012 award in the small category to Robinsons Place Dumaguete, for its “pioneering effort to bring to the province the well known brands from Manila and for providing local shoppers the opportunity to experience the levels of customer service and shopping facilities otherwise only seen in big cities in the country.”

“As the first full service mall in the province, Robinsons Place Dumaguete was able to introduce to Dumagueños the modern malling lifestyle. And it is the only mall in Negros Oriental and the city to have three world class cinemas,” said Joseph Sian, RLC operations director for Vis-Min.

Sian noted that the two-level Robinsons Place Dumaguete was chosen by the PRA as this year’s winner in the small category, due to several reasons.

“It was based on the mall’s completeness of retail and product mix; availability of clean restrooms; PWD (persons with disability) friendly facilities; convenience facilities such as Wi-fi, elevators, clinic, hotel; and marketing programs,” Sian explained.

“We have very diverse marketing and promotion scheme that includes sports, cultural, historical and educational events, with which we earned an award from the city for ‘Exemplary Civic Mindednes,’” he said, adding that since “the mall first opened its door to the public in 2009 it has exhibited sales growth of 25.9 percent. ”

“Further, we were judged according to our leasing policies and procedures that are tenant friendly. At the same time, we made sure that we will follow an environmentally friendly operation through our waste water treatment facility and various programs that promote and protect the environment ,” Sian explained.

Since it opened in 2009, Robinsons Place Dumaguete has become the city’s public plaza where most  local and civic activities are being held. The mall has also participated in health advocacy programs by partnering with organizations to give free check ups, diagnostic and varied treatment to children with disabilities. The mall is also set to open its Lingkod Pinoy Center featuring Philhealth Express and the Department of Foreign Affairs.

“Because of this, the Dumaguete City Council created a resolution expressing its gratitude to the mall for its outstanding civic involvement,” Sian said.

He said, RLC’s entry in the province of Dumaguete has altered the way of life of most Dumagueños, thus making the place that is more popularly known as the University City of the South, more lively and interesting. To date, Robinsons Place Dumaguete serves over a million Filipinos from the province of Negros Oriental, Southern Cebu, Siquijor as well as Northern and Southern Negros.

Robinsons Malls is to date one of the largest, most successful chains of malls in the country. It has a very strong presence in the Visayas having established six commercial centers in different areas such as Bacolod, Iloilo, Tacloban, Cebu and soon Roxas.