MANILA, Philippines - The recent My City, My SM launch at SM City Marikina celebrated the industry that made Marikina the Shoe Capital of the Philippines, and that was significantly the foundation of the SM Group, which founder and chairman Henry Sy, Sr. started as a shoe store in 1958. It also highlighted Marikina as a multi-awarded metropolitan city, often cited for its dynamic economy.
Held just in time for the city’s 381st founding anniversary, Marikina honored businesswoman and former Mayor Marides C. Fernando, along with the city’s shoemakers and retailers — Nelson Valentino of Valentino Shoes, Erlinda Salonga-Pastoral of Ohrelle, Anita Puzon-Salonga of Milani, and Gilda Cruz-Salonga of Le Donne, who was represented by her husband Ronnie Salonga.
Marikina City officials led by Vice Mayor Jose Fabian Cadiz, as well as city councilors Elmer Nepomuceno, Joseph Banzon, Rommel Ortiz, Paul Daniel Belmonte, Boggs Reyes, and Frankie Ayuson joined in the festivities. Families of the honorees — Fernando’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Meneleo Carlos and daughter Tala, as well as members of the Valentino, Salonga and Pastoral clan — also graced the event. Also noted was Marikina historian-professor Rodolfo de la Paz. SM officials led by SM VP for marketing Millie Dizon, VP for operations Bien Mateo, regional operations manager Johanna Rupisan, and SM City mall manager Mitchell Martel welcomed them.
Guests had a wonderful time going over the beautiful shoe exhibit, which featured a history of the city’s shoe biz and a short biography of Laureano “Kapitan Moy” Guevara, the Father of Marikina’s Shoe Industry. They crowded around the exhibit of shoes of prominent Filipinos and shoes from all over the world, as well as a diorama of shoemaking tools very generously lent by the Marikina Shoe Museum. Shoes from Valentino, Milani, Le Donne, and Ohrelle were also displayed, giving guests a primer on the different shoe styles and materials.
Along with the shoe exhibit was a collection of memorabilia of several of the city’s prominent angkans or clans that gather together every second week of April for Marikina’s Angkan-Angkan Festival. Among these were memorabilia from the family of Mayor Del de Guzman like the family emblem, a collection of photos of all clan members, and a very old plow.
Guests also had a glimpse of the new Marikina, through the exhibit featuring former Mayor Marides Fernando, who together with her husband Bayani, led its transformation into the modern city it is today.
Some of Marikina’s best restaurants put together an innovative spread of cocktail versions of the city’s signature dish, the Everlasting, in maki, empanadita, wrap, crostini, nachos, quai, and pinsec versions. Guests couldn’t have enough of these, as well as Rocha’s famous puto-kutsinta, and other dishes like crispy noodles and savory cream puffs.
The My City, My SM launch in Marikina is the third in the second year of this tourism-oriented campaign that features the many cities in the Philippines where SM malls and stores are located.
Last year’s My City, My SM road show brought readers to 15 cities in the Philippines with prominent personalities from each area as tour guides. It began just in time for the Giant Lantern Festival in December 2009 with “I Left My Heart in San Fernando” with internationally acclaimed film director Brillante Mendoza and Mutya ng Kampampangan Nicolette Henson, and had a grand finale with The Genteel Charm of Bacolod, which marked the opening day of the 31st Masskara Festival with honorees Raymund Javellana and the dynamic Association of Negros Producers board members Mary Anne Colmenares, Cristina Gaston, Mary Anne Sicangco-Hagad, and Josephine Locsin.
This year’s My City, My SM campaign began in January with The Lakeside Charm of San Pablo with Don Ado Escudero and Ramon Magsaysay Awardee Dr. Jaime Alip as honorees. In March, Cavite Historical Society president and former Prime Minister Cesar E. A. Virata and Island Cove and Leisure Park managing director Gilbert Remulla were honored in “Celebrating Cavite” and “SM City Dasmarinas.”
My City, My SM is a joint project of SM and the Department of Tourism with support from The Philippine Star.