The Marikina Experience: A Legacy as Durable as its Shoes
Beyond the headlines and reports of the Marikina shoemaking industry’s decline lies a different narrative
WRITTEN BY WILLIANE TOBIAS
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Despite the challenges their shoemaking industry faces, Marikina’s title as Shoe Capital endures through their reliable quality and an experience that’s uniquely theirs. Read through stories of hope–proof that Marikina’s legacy isn’t just its former glory, but its resilience and adaptability.
An experience passed down generations
For Sir Hadj, business owner of Roadtrip Sandals, Marikina is a brand, a reputation to uphold. He talked about how well-known Marikina continues to be within the shoemaking industry “Marikina itself kasi is not just a place… ito ay maituturing ng isang brand name na kinikilala hindi lang local kundi pati ng ibang bansa. Kaya ang maging manufacturer sa Marikina malaking advantage na. (Marikina itself is not just a place…it’s a brand name that’s not just well-known locally but internationally. That’s why those who are [shoe] manufacturers in Marikina have a big advantage already.)”
Walking through the streets of Marikina, you’re never too far from a shoe store. For Robert Magnuson who was born and raised in Marikina, his memories during the peak of the industry still resonated with him when he took his son to a nearby shoe store “My son was part of a chorale, so he needed formal shoes. We went into one of the stores, dito malapit sa munisipyo, dito sa Marikina. (transl. here near the municipality, here in Marikina.) […] And walking into that, it’s like my memories of my mother’s [and] my uncle’s shops came back flooding” he recalled, with his family being in the Marikina shoemaking business themselves back then.
Nostalgia didn’t cloud his judgement; rather, his customer experience and the quality of the shoes exceeded his expectations, “the way the shoes are arranged, the way you sit down, and you know, you fit them […] In the end we bought a pair of shoes at a good price, because they were, you know, discounted at the time, and I was very pleasantly surprised at how nice the shoes were.” Magnuson’s anecdote is a full circle moment for someone whose family was in the industry. It shows how the Marikina experience continues to be a part of our generation, and not just a faraway memory.
A step into the future of the industry
Instead of letting the pandemic affect sales, Sir Hadj of Roadtrip Sandals took matters into his own hands. His business adapted to online e-commerce and leaned into social media marketing, earning him over 120,000 followers on Facebook and features on TV and radio shows “Sa kasagsagan ng Pandemic pinalakas ko ang FB page ko sa pamamagitan ng pag popost ng mga videos kung paano ko ginagawang matibay ang mga trekking sandals ko. Dahil d’yan makailang beses akong na interview sa TV (Byahe ni Drew, Unlad By Robin Padilla NET 25 at sa TV 5 with Cherryl Cousim) at Radio (Dzxl Negosyo at trabaho) (During the peak of the Pandemic, I strengthened my Facebook page by posting videos on how I make my trekking sandals durable. Because of that, I’ve been interviewed a good number of times on the TV Byahe ni Drew, Unlad By Robin Padilla NET 25 and on TV 5 with Cherryl Cousim) and Radio (Dzxl Negosyo at trabaho.)”
The pandemic was a time wherein over 80% of footwear and leather goods stores were closed, as mentioned by Sir Noel Box of MASIDO, yet for Sir Hadj, it was an opportunity to earn more, “Salamat sa Social Media at sa mga E-Commerce platform pwede na kaming direktang magbenta sa mga costumer. Wala nang agent mas malaki ang kita” (Thanks to social media and e-commerce platforms, you can now sell directly to the customers. No more agents with bigger earnings)” he mentioned, noting how with the removal of a “middle man”, he was able to keep more of the earnings.
There are shoe businesses that stand as proof that even if they’re rooted in a strong tradition, they utilize new technology for their own benefit. Sir Hadj’s parting message is one that makes you reevaluate whatever idea you had of Marikina in your mind: “Marikina shoe Industry in decline? Yes, but dying never… we are surviving! Dying na yung mga makalumang paraan […] Pero marami at mas maraming maliliit na brand ngayon ang masayang gumagawa ng mga sapatos para ibenta direkta sa customer sa Facebook and E-commerce platform (The old ways are dying, but there are more small brands now that are happily making shoes so they can sell directly to the customers on Facebook and E-commerce platforms)”
While the industry can still be seen as merely “surviving” and steadily getting its numbers back, that in itself is proof that there’s still hope. The narrative that the shoe industry is in decline is true in some ways, but it’s far from dying. In every low point there’s a need for reflection, and for shoe business owners like Sir Hadj, it’s a sign that something needs to change, to quote him: “In every crisis there is an opportunity […] siguro yung old ways, yes in decline, but our ways maybe subukan natin malay natin ‘di ba? (the old ways may be the ones in decline, but we can try our own way, who knows [what will happen]?) ”
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