Cover Marikina is the shoe capital of the Philippines (Photo:Malou Mojar Buenconsejo of the Marikina City Public Library)
Marikina is the shoe capital of the Philippines (Photo:Malou Mojar Buenconsejo of the Marikina City Public Library)
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A person's choice of footwear is usually a good barometer of his or her life preferences. In Marikina, there is a wide array of shoe designs fit for various personalities
People from different walks of life know about the title that the city of Marikina held for a long time; for decades, shoemakers in the area have perfected the process of crafting the most stylish and durable footwear in the Philippines; ones that wrapped the feet of common townsfolk and ones that brought the adventurous Manileño to the world's most treasured places.
Marikina is the shoe capital of the Philippines, its significant year in shoemaking began through the efforts of Don Laureano "Kapitan Moy" Guevarra, the founder and father of the shoe industry in the city.
In 1887, Kapitan Moy served as Marikina's captain municipal and was credited for helping manufacture the first pair of shoes in the area. Historical accounts say that the captain ripped apart his pair of imported shoes to see how it was made and put it together again. Then, using the dismantled parts as padron or patterns, he was able to produce cheap canvas shoes that eventually evolved to leather tanned footwear made of imports from Europe.
Kapitan Moy's willingness to open up a small shoe store has ignited the interest of his community; soon every corner of Marikina has a shoe shop of its own.
See also: Sneaker Culture In The Philippines: What's With The Obsession With These Thousand-Peso Shoes?
Above Marikina Development (Photo: marikina.gov.ph)
Marikina Development (Photo: marikina.gov.ph)
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Philippines Trails Behind Other Shoe-Producing Countries
Despite its local success, the Marikina shoe industry never took off globally, this was because Chinese products, aided by low labor costs, took advantage of the situation and entered the country in hindsight. According to a 2005 study by Allen J. Scott, the shoe imports in the Philippines swelled between 1990 and 2003 with a growth from USD 20,022,000 to USD 50,491,000.
While this was happening, local shoe exports rapidly decreased by more than 50 per cent or from USD 78,001,000 in 1990 to USD 36,233,000 in 2003. However, Scott's research noted that a large portion of this export trade was comprised of foreign-owned athletic shoe factories.
"The industry has been subject to intense competition over the last decade or so as producers from other countries have penetrated deeply into domestic markets, in the Philippines while simultaneously blocking out many export opportunities for Filipino manufacturers," Scott said in his study. "Currently, the industry is in great disarray, and its future is extremely uncertain."
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Above Marikina is the shoe capital of the Philippines (Photo:Malou Mojar Buenconsejo of the Marikina City Public Library)
Marikina is the shoe capital of the Philippines (Photo:Malou Mojar Buenconsejo of the Marikina City Public Library)
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Producers from other countries have penetrated deeply into domestic markets in the Philippines while simultaneously blocking out many export opportunities for Filipino manufacturers
Many local shoemakers have been ravaged by this trade liberalisation. Some of them lost grip of the domestic market and shut down their operations. The Chinese-owned stores, on the other hand, flourished and even comprised 38.7 per cent of the total footwear products in department stores across the Philippines.
Marikina Trade, Industry and Investment Promotions Office Ma. Lourdes de la Paz, in her interview with The Guidon, disclosed that the foreign imports made it harder for Filipino shoemakers to compete in their own market. "Because of the trade liberalisation policies, foreign firms can bring in their products, and unfortunately, some are brought in illegally. There are cases of smuggling where importers will wrongly declare the goods that they bring in, because inside their containers are cheap shoes coming from China," she explained. "These are the kinds of threats that are facing the industry."
Pandemic Casualties
Many shoemakers in Marikina have adapted to the innovation brought by the digital age. On Instagram, accounts bearing the names of the municipality's most sought-after shoe stores can be seen with hundreds of products posted per week. However, not many people can catch up with the power of technology. In a 2020 press briefing, Marikina Mayor Marcelino Teodoro revealed that only 20 per cent of the city's local shoe enterprises survived through virtual platforms.
He added that the other 80 succumbed to the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns. “The industry is worth at least P1 billion,” Teodoro said. "Production of many have stopped, almost 80 per cent ceased operations. Twenty per cent did not stop because they are using digital or virtual platforms in marketing and selling."
Above Marikina shoe expo outlet in Cubao (Photo:Chotda/Flickr)
Marikina shoe expo outlet in Cubao (Photo:Chotda/Flickr)
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According to a Rappler report, elderly Marikina shoemakers are the ones having the hardest times dealing with technology. One of the agency's interviewees, Rolando "Oly" Santos, is a 70-year-old shoemaker who was heartily devastated due to the lockdowns. "I felt disheartened because I was sure we would've made a profit if only we hadn't gone into lockdown," he shared.
Meanwhile, Santos' son, Jonjon, said that it is hard to market shoes online due to language barriers. "It's difficult online. Many others are good at it. I find it hard to talk to our English-speaking customers, because I don't speak English well."
Elderly Marikina shoemakers are having a hard time with the Internet (Photo Tatay Oly Shoes/Facebook)
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Support Local
Owning a pair of Marikina shoes could boost the sales of the municipality's shoemakers; however, there are many things we can do to support:
- Advertise them if you can- Post them on your blogs, Facebook walls, Twitter, and Instagram pages just like how you take pictures of your favourite coffee or food.
- Boast their unrivalled qualities- Marikina shoes are known for their carefully-crafted materials, if your friends or loved ones want quality shoes that last, maybe it's time to spread the word.
- Own a pair or two- Since Marikina shoes are relatively more affordable than foreign brands, owning a pair of Marikina shoes won't hurt.
- Engage in discussions- Many people have forgotten the wonders of Marikina shoes. At a time when our local shoemakers need our help the most, it is important for us to engage ourselves in discussions that make their stories more alive.
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Jove holds a degree in Journalism and is currently pursuing graduate studies in Philosophy at the University of the Philippines–Diliman. She has flair for in-depth, interview-driven stories that explore politics and culture, shaped by her background in national broadsheets.
When she’s not on assignment, Jove spends her days painting, sipping lemonade, and walking her dog, Jupiter. She can often be seen in Escolta with a film camera in hand, browsing novelty shops in search of rare memorabilia. For leads, reach her at Jove@tatlerphilippines.com.
