The SM Group, through its property arm SM Prime Holdings, Inc., is spurring local economic growth with its recent expansion in the local communities of Laguna after the opening of a 23,000 square meters shopping mall, SM Center San Pedro.

Rested atop a hill-like spot in the city's Upper Village, SM Center San Pedro joins SM City Santa Rosa, SM City Calamba, and SM City San Pablo as the fourth SM mall in Laguna.

News of the mall opening was well received by San Pedrenses said Jhe-Rico Sam Colina, the chief information officer of the government of San Pedro City as it is seen to spur more local activity.

"The people got excited when the news of SM opening in the area. To buy what they need, they usually go to the bayan, which is quite far away. For leisure, grocery, and whatnot, sometimes they even need to go to Biñan or as far as Muntinlupa," he said.

With hilly areas in the city, access to goods can be quite challenging to navigate around.

"We have a lower or the town proper and then the Upper Villages here in San Pedro. If you're going to travel from the Upper Villages, it would take you 30 to 40 minutes by jeepney to reach the public market," he added.

Some of the Group's retail affiliates in SM Center San Pedro, including SM Appliance Center, note that 86 percent of its employees are San Pedro residents.

Similarly, Watsons Philippines has 60 percent of its team members coming from the city. In the mall's administration office, 52 percent of the workforce are all locally hired from San Pedro.

Beyond staple offerings of SM from its anchor tenants like SM Hypermarket, and SM Appliance Center, among others it is also a partner for sustainable initiatives.

The mall utilizes low-emissivity glass for windows and skylights most evident in SM Center San Pedro's Event Center. For a more responsible management of natural resources, the mall's water treatment plant and LED light fixtures complement one another to ensure efficiency in energy consumption.

A forward-looking feature such as the designated electric vehicle charging station is also open to all mall-goers located in the basement parking.