Wet markets, especially many that are found in the Philippines, are typically characterized as cramped, disorganized, crowded, sometimes unsanitary places that few do not usually go to as a tourist spot except if you need to buy certain pasalubong (take-home) items that are only found there. Thus, it is a fresh breath of air to see a public market place such as the Marikina Public Market area also known as the Marikina Market Mall, purported to be the cleanest wet market in the metropolis, not to mention one of the biggest as well in terms of area.
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A mall built right: SM City Marikina
Despite the vast and commanding presence nowadays of SM malls around the metropolis, the country and beyond as well, these malls are not exactly what one would call as compelling as far as form, aesthetics, and overall design is concerned. Save for some notable exceptions, SM malls are generally derided as “dull box structures” of concrete and, in recent years, glass, and steel which do not strive to become standout landmarks. I suppose the mentality employed here is, “Hey! It’s and SM mall! What more fancy design does it need? We can build a plain-looking building and put an SM tag on it and people will still go.” You get…
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Celebrating Marikina’s shoemakers
Located on the eastern side of the metropolis, right next to the Province of Rizal lies the bustling city of Marikina. Of course, Marikina needs no further introduction as the mere mention of its name brings one to mind the popularity of this city as the center of the country’s shoemaking industry. Hence, its title as “The Shoe Capital of the Philippines.” For Marikina’s shoemakers, they and their shoemaker forebears owe their livelihood with the pioneering efforts of one man: Don Laureano Guevara, a renowned community leader in Marikina who was also affectionately called “Kapitan Moy.”