Marikina shoe traders get free bazaar space

The local government of Marikina City is no longer collecting rental fees from the city's shoemakers and manufacturers participating in this year's Christmas Shoe Bazaar to help them recover from the Covid-19 pandemic.

"I will grant their (shoe manufacturer industry) request. I will give it (space) for free to help the shoemaking industry in the city," Mayor Marcelino "Marcy" Teodoro told this reporter in an interview.

"They don't pay anything to start a shoe bazaar; everything will be free for the participants," the mayor added.

Teodoro said more than 50 shoemakers and manufacturers will be participating in the shoe bazaar from 15 November to 15 January at the Freedom Park just in front of City Hall.

The Philippine Footwear Federation Incorporated earlier asked Teodoro to repeal or modify Ordinance 162 series of 2022 prescribing the rental rates for the use of space at Freedom Park and other commercial spaces owned by the city government due to the experiences of the unstable income of the shoe manufacturers.