Plans revealed for Marikina revival

Shoemaking has long been an important industry in Marikina, as shown by a monument in the city.

The Filipino Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has announced that it is to extend assistance in an attempt to breathe life back into the Marikina shoe industry. DTI secretary Ramon Lopez and the Philippine Footwear Federation (PFFI) have highlighted a number of obstacles hampering the shoe industry’s growth and possible ways to overcome these difficulties.

“Technological improvement remains an industry concern, explained Mr Lopez. “While there are patrons who prefer manually-produced shoes, citing their durability, still innovation is crucial for the shoe industry to flourish and expand.”

The DTI and PFFI already operate a ‘Shared Service Facility’ (SSF) that allows small footwear companies to use centrally-located machinery and other shoemaking equipment. The site also houses the Philippine Footwear Academy, that has the remit to produce job-ready workers for the local footwear industry. According to the DTI, it is committed to improving access to raw materials and the footwear supply chain.

One of the announced SSF projects intends to capture the market for high-value custom-made shoes by introducing new methodologies in footwear design, engineering and manufacturing. The Design Centre of the Philippines is to provide help with aspects of design, as well as assisting with market access and promotion through the Go Lokal! stores in malls and trade fairs.

Publishing Data

This article was originally published on page 3 of the July/August 2017 issue of SATRA Bulletin.

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