Gokongwei property arm opens ‘green mall’ today

CEBU, Philippines - Robinsons Land Inc., (RLI) opens its second largest mall in the Philippines, the Robinson's Galleria Cebu today.

This 157,000 square-meters (gross leasable area), "green mall" will be formally inaugurated this afternoon, to be graced by the Gokongwei Family, led by patriarch John Gokongwei Sr.,

In an interview with Minda Carpio, Robinson's Galleria Cebu leasing consultant, about 60 tenants will officially open today, out of over 200.

"But everyday, after the opening day tomorrow, more will open," said Carpio on the sidelines of the press preview of the shopping mall.

Robinsons Galleria Cebu is the 41st shopping mall of Gokongwei-led JG Summit Inc. It is dubbed as the country's first garden mall with green architecture design.

The next largest mall built by the Gokongwei-led company after it built Robinsons Galleria in Manila 25 years ago.

The six-storey mall promises to set apart from its counterpart as it will bring more emphasis on housing the homegrown regional brands, and food outlets, said Ma. Cristina Angan, the company's senior consultant for leasing and marketing.

Although the mall brings in the usual national and foreign brands, Angan said Robinson's Galleria so far the first mall in Cebu to host the artisan and emerging (food) brands in the region, such as Abaca Baking Co., Phat Pho, The Luncheonette, The Chocolate Chamber, Azabu, Fat Cow Burgers & Malts, Pueblo's Totopos Mexican Street Food, Bohol Bee Farm, Sans Rival Cakes & Pastries from Dumaguete, among others.

In the next few months, Angan said the mall aims to invite other homegrown brands from Visayas and Mindanao.

According to Angan, the mall's thrust is to jive with Cebu's newly launched branding "Cebu; Where the Heart Sings."

In an earlier interview with RLI president Frederick Go, he said that   the company has invested on providing extra focus on green infrastructure within and outside of the shopping destination. — Ehda M. Dagooc (FREEMAN)