Senator Aquilino Pimentel III and his wife, Special Envoy Kathryna De Guzman Yu-Pimentel, are at the forefront of renewed efforts to bring back the former glory of Marikina’s once-booming shoemaking sector—an industry that was once a major pillar of the local economy.
The couple joined First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos at the Marikina Freedom Park on Tuesday to open an exhibit “Marikina: Pamana ng Sapatos – Kahapon, Ngayon at Bukas,” a showcase celebrating the craftsmanship of local shoemakers, bag makers, and entrepreneurs.
Senator Pimentel expressed hope the exhibit would rekindle appreciation for Marikina-made products and inspire public support.
“We thank First Lady Louise Araneta-Marcos and Former First Lady Imelda Marcos for standing with Marikina’s shoemakers. Their presence gives this advocacy the attention it deserves and helps restore pride in our locally made products,” he said.
He said the show of support from the First Lady reflects a broader push to uplift the local industry and promote its heritage on a national scale.
In line with this advocacy, Pimentel has filed Senate Bill No. 2994, which proposes the creation of modern Shoe Manufacturing Hubs across the country, starting with Marikina. The measure includes tax incentives, shared production facilities, research and development support, and a nationwide “Buy Local, Wear Local” campaign.
“This bill aims to strengthen the shoe industry so it can compete locally and globally,” he said.
On the local level, the Pimentels also rolled out the Libreng Sapatos program, which distributed free Marikina-made footwear to over 1,000 top-performing students and around 800 public school teachers in District 1. Court stenographers also received free pairs.
At its height, Marikina’s shoe industry boasted over 1,300 manufacturers and employed more than 300,000 workers. That number has since dwindled to just around 200 businesses.
Kathryna de Guzman Yu-Pimentel, granddaughter of former Mayor Munding de Guzman—one of the key figures in building the city’s shoemaking legacy—believes the industry can recover with the right support.
“Marikina is still the Shoe Capital of the Philippines,” she said “We just need to help our shoemakers.”