Marikina City, known as the country's shoe capital, has restored the giant shoes that earned a Guinness World Record as the world’s largest shoes, bringing the landmark back into public view at city hall.
Marikina Mayor Marjorie Ann “Maan” Teodoro said preserving cultural heritage helps safeguard the history, traditions, and achievements that shape a community’s identity and collective memory.
“Our cultural heritage tells the story of who we are and where we came from. By preserving it, we ensure that future generations can appreciate the traditions, achievements, and values that helped shape Marikina,” she said.
On Monday, 8 June, Teodoro, together with city officials and employees, unveiled the newly restored shoes at city hall.
Originally crafted by a nine-member team from Colossal Footwear in October 2002, the 18-foot-long leather shoes earned recognition from Guinness World Records as the largest pair of shoes in the world that same year.
Since then, the giant shoes have become one of Marikina’s most recognizable landmarks, symbolizing the city’s shoemaking industry.
Over the years, however, the shoes became delaminated and sustained damage from the massive flooding caused by Typhoon Ondoy in 2009 and Typhoon Ulysses in 2020, prompting their removal from public display for repair, restoration, and rehabilitation.
The latest restoration was undertaken by the city government in partnership with local shoe manufacturer C-Point and the Philippine Footwear Federation, Inc.
Teodoro said the shoes are temporarily displayed at city hall to make them more accessible to residents and visitors.
“For now, we have placed the shoes for display at the city hall since it’s more convenient and accessible for people to see Marikina’s world-renowned shoes. We encourage visitors from other cities to come to the city hall to view the shoes, and for our own residents to take pride in our heritage as shoemakers,” she said.
The local chief executive also underscored the city government’s continuing efforts to preserve local heritage and strengthen civic pride.
“Heritage gives us a sense of identity and reminds us of the values that shaped our city. But remembering the past is only meaningful if it helps guide the future,” she daid.
“Our task today is to build on that legacy and create greater opportunities for future generations of Marikenyos,” the local chief executive added.
