Marikina welcomes ASEAN delegates

The Marikina City government has warmly welcomed the delegates of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), with the rich cultural heritage of the country's shoe capital at the Shoe Museum on Friday, 6 November.

During the visit, the unique talents and craftsmanship of Marikeño shoemakers in the city were showcased before delegates from ASEAN.

The whole local government unit, local police, Marikina shoe artisans, and cultural dancers warmly welcomed the ASEAN delegates.

Mayor Marjorie Ann "Maan" Teodoro said the delegates from the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community Council (ASCC) comprised senior officials and ministers from Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Brunei, Timor-Leste, and Laos.

They were joined by Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian, who also serves as the Chair of the ASCC.

“We are very honored to be among the first stops in the cities of Metro Manila to welcome delegates from our neighboring ASEAN countries, giving us the opportunity to showcase the high-quality and world-class craftsmanship of our local shoemakers here at the Shoe Capital of the Philippines,” Teodoro said.

“As we are known to be the Shoe Capital of the Philippines, we take immense pride in our shoemaking culture and heritage, and we are committed to further empower thousands of our local workers and manufacturers, and strengthen our shoe industry,” the mayor added.

The delegates visited the Marikina Shoe Museum which houses around 800 pairs of shoes, mostly from former First Lady Imelda Marcos’ shoe collection, with other shoes donated and gifted by notable politicians such as former Philippine presidents and mayors, as well as celebrities, athletes, business tycoons, and other prominent figures.

The guided museum tour highlighted the rich local history and humble beginnings of Marikina’s shoe industry, featuring the old and modern tools, implements, equipment, materials, and methods used by artisan shoemakers, creating the famously “Marikina-made” handcrafted footwear.

The delegates were able to interact with shoemakers through a live shoemaking demonstration by veteran sapateros from local brand Zapateria, giving them a peek into the meticulous work that is done to create shoes that last a lifetime.

ASEAN ASCC Indonesian Minister Dr. Imam Machdi praised Marikina’s shoemaking industry and the warm welcome the delegation received in the city.

“It’s a very nice city (Marikina), and [a] very nice history about shoes [with] all the people here making shoes from a hundred years ago until now. It’s really excellent…We have something like this. Shoes made handmade, but here it is more managed,” he said during an interview after the tour.

Meanwhile, Eastern Police District (EPD) Dir. Brig. Gen. Roman Arugay said they have deployed augmentation forces to ensure the safety and security of all ASEAN delegates who visited the Shoe Capital.

The visit was part of multi-sectoral exchanges and activities ahead of the ASEAN Summit this month.

As chair of ASEAN for this year, the Philippines will host the 2026 ASEAN Summit and Related Summits to be held throughout November, with the main conferences held on 16 to 18 November.

The conferences will focus on peace and security anchors, prosperity corridors, and people empowerment among the ASEAN member states and partner countries and organizations in the region and worldwide. NEIL ALCOBER