MANILA — Marikina is pushing to entice more locals — especially to the youth — to join its footwear-making industry as the city looks to revive the Philippines’ Shoe Capital.

It has been a “challenge” to make the shoe-making business appealing to the younger generation of Marikeños as other industries have been more attractive in terms of profitability, said Marikina Shoe Manufacturers representative Mia Santos.

“Nahihirapan na tayong maghanap ng bata na magiging interesado, the young generation na magpapatuloy ng legacy, ng heritage ng Marikina,” she told reporters on the sidelines of a shoe expo in the city.

“Some kasi ang nagiging problema, nagshishift sila sa construction… kasi kapag magcoconstruct ka ng building, kung 6 months siyang gagawin, alam ng manggagawa na 6 months siyang susuweldo,” she said.

“Hindi katulad ng halimbawa, mayroon kang gawaan o sapatero, kapag natapos yung trabaho mo, wala ka namang inaasahang gawa. Hindi naman puwedeng hindi naman kakain ang pamilya mo kung wala kang order na natatanggap,” she explained.

As of March 2025, there are only about 200 registered shoe manufacturers in Marikina, a far cry from the thousands that existed before the COVID-19 pandemic, Santos said.

“For now, we are just looking for more support… We are showcasing the Filipino designers na lumalaban, nakikipag compete sa China every year,” she said.

“It is a challenge kasi kailangan pa natin ng marami pang imprastraktura, marami pang mga hub, marami pang mga machines para mainvite natin o maencourage natin ang next generations,” she said.

To help encourage more young Marikeños to engage in the city’s heritage of shoemaking, First Lady Liza Marcos and special envoy Kathryna Yu-Pimentel launched the “Marikina: Pamana ng Sapatos” public exhibit in the Marikina City Hall on August 22.

The event showcased various Marikina-produced shoes that won awards from international competitions, and a one-day shoe sale featuring products from Marikina’s local shoe sellers.

“Marikina is still the shoe capital of the Philippines. We just need to help our shoemakers,” Yu-Pimentel said.

OBSTACLES 

Marikina Rep. Stella Quimbo, who is among the locals who had to close down her shoe business due to the pandemic, said that events that allow local footwear brands to sell their pieces rent-free is a big help to the city’s shoe industry.

“One of the biggest cost is yung rent expense so malaking bagay na mayroon tayong subsidized space para sa kanila ngayon,” Quimbo said.

The “sourcing of inputs” such as quality leather is also among the obstacles that hinder the growth of the Marikina shoe industry, the lawmaker said.

“Napaka liit kasi ng Philippine market so yung nakukuha natin na supply ng leather, kung imported man, ay hindi kasing premium ng let’s say Italy,” she said.

“If the DTI (Department of Trade and Industry) can consolidate the orders of all of these small businesses, so magiging isang bulk order siya, yan ay malaking bagay,” she said.

Quimbo hopes that Republic Act. 11981 or the Tatak Pinoy Act can help buoy Marikina’s shoe making industry as the law gives preference for locally-produced goods, including footwear.

“Halimbawa kapag ang military ay bibili ng boots, mas makakalaban na ngayon ang marikina shoe manufacturers kontra sa China,” she said.

“Same thing with school shoes kung bibili ang LGUs… pinapabid out nila yan and because of this domestic preference provision sa Tatak Pinoy Law, mas makakalaban na ang ating mga Marikina shoe companies,” she said.

Meantime, Sen. Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III has filed the Shoe Industry Development bill, which seeks to pool tariffs on imported shoes into a “development fund to help shoemakers all over the Philippines.”

“‘Yung Marikina shoe industry, buhay pa… pero siguro hindi na siya comparable sa time na nasa peak siya pero kayang kayang ipaunlad ulit. Kailangan lang talaga ng support,” he said.

“It must be the entire community and sana the entire country kasi dapat proud hindi lang ang Marikina sa kaniyang shoe industry at sa kaniyang shoe products kasi nakakalaban to compete globally ang sapatos na gawang Marikina,” he said.

“No one person, no one family can do it.”