shopping mall – FAQ.ph

In the Philippines, it isn’t unlikely to see several malls built in close proximity with one other. For the rest of the world, however, having an abundance of malls located in one area can be seen as a bit excessive. As a nation of mallgoers, the Filipinos’ love for shopping malls gives them a distinct Pinoy culture that has piqued the interest of people who aren’t Filipinos or are simply living in the Philippines. And there are plenty of reasons as to why this is so.

Let’s take a look at four interesting facts about the shopping malls in the Philippines, and understand how they’ve become an integral part of shaping Pinoy mall culture.

Malls Are a Sign of Economic Progress

Malls are often signs of economic growth because they indicate that the people working and living near them have the spending power to afford many of the commodities and services that malls have to offer. Shopping malls also provide people with jobs and can attract a lot of businesses, which helps boost the local economy. As a result, it’s common to see restaurants, retail stores, and hotels near Mall of Asia (as well as other malls) because of the amount of foot traffic the mall generates.

Malls in the Philippines Are Built with Convenience in Mind

Like most shopping malls across the globe, the malls in the Philippines house plenty of shops where people can buy clothes, shop for their household goods and electronics, as well as sit down and have a nice meal. What makes the malls in the country a little bit different from the rest, however, is that they also include establishments and offices where people can complete their errands with ease.

People can do their groceries at the supermarket, book a medical appointment with a general physician at the clinic, and even get their driver’s licenses renewed at a satellite government office. They can also pay their household bills through a mall’s bills payment center, as well as mail a package to a family member living abroad via a shipping company that’s located in the mall.

Other businesses that can be found in a typical mall in the Philippines include:

Laundry services and laundromats
Shoe repair shops
Watch repair shops
Printing shops
Key duplicate shops
Pharmacies

With all of these establishments conveniently found in one location, mallgoers don’t have to travel far or go to a different location just to finish all of their errands.

Malls Are the Perfect Places to Spend the Weekend

A lot of Filipinos reserve their weekends for friends or family. Thus, they want to spend this time to enjoy the company of their loved ones before they head back to school or the office the following week. When it comes to choosing a place to hang out, malls are almost always at the top of the list. This is because malls in the Philippines are also designed to provide mallgoers with hours of fun.

Apart from window shopping, mallgoers can catch a movie at the cinema, eat at any of the many restaurants, and play games at the mall’s video arcade or other entertainment centers. People can also get themselves pampered at a wellness spa or salon. With so many fun and exciting things to do at the mall, it’s no wonder that mallgoers prefer going to the mall during the weekend.

Malls Have Become Popular Tourist Destinations as Well

As previously mentioned, it’s common for malls to be built near each other in the Philippines. In Makati alone, four of its malls are located so close to each other that they’re connected via footbridges. The five malls in Ortigas Center, on the other hand, are only a 10- to 30-minute cab ride away from each other—given that there’s no traffic. Because of this, malls have to find ways to keep mallgoers invested in shopping at their establishments.

One solution some malls came up with is to build attractions in or beside their shopping complex to entice more people to visit their malls. Pasay City’s Mall of Asia, for example, has the Bay Area Amusement Park. This amusement park features a wide range of rides and fairground games that give mallgoers a fun and exhilarating way to spend their weekend. There’s also the Venice Grand Canal Mall in Taguig, which has a man-made canal where people can enjoy a quick gondola ride around the mall.

Because of these malls’ unique features, they’ve become tourist destinations in their own right. As a result, they’re able to attract more people, whether they’re locals enjoying their time in the mall or foreign tourists looking for something fun to do while they’re in the Philippines. The malls in the Philippines are an essential part of the lifestyle. Thanks to the convenience shopping complexes provide, Filipinos can complete their errands, spend time with their families, and relax and unwind under one roof. As a result, the malls in the country have helped create a mall culture that’s distinctly Pinoy.

Speaking of shopping malls, did you know that the biggest mall in the world is China’s New South China Mall? This shopping haven in Dongguan, China has a gross floor area (GFA) of 660,000 square meters.

Spending leisure time in shopping centers, especially during weekends and public holidays, is a common phenomena in the Philippines. The locals seem to enjoy going out, hanging out, and shopping. For that reason, shopping malls can be easily spotted across the country. Amongst the long list of shopping malls, here are the top biggest ones.

1. SM North EDSA

Known to be the first mall that introduced the locals to the lifestyle, this mall has been through several transformations since its first public opening in 1985. Currently nominated to be the country’s biggest mall and the world’s third, what started in an area of 125,000 sqm has now expanded to 498,000 sqm. It also houses more than one thousand retail stores and restaurants in addition to its 5,760 rooftop solar panels. This number one shopping mall really lives up to the concept of one stop shop.

Location: Quezon City

Gross Floor Area: 498,000 m²

2. SM Megamall

Notable to the first mall to have ice skating rink in the country, this shopping mall has been through several major expansion since its opening in 1991. The initial size of 330,000 sqm has been expanded to 474,000 sqm. With larger leasable area, it now caters more than one thousand outlets, ranging from fashion to dining. The mall has a maximum capacity of 4 million people.

Location: Mandaluyong City

Gross Floor Area: 474,000 m²

3. SM Seaside City Cebu

Located in the center of SM Seaside Complex is SM Seaside City Cebu. WIth 470,000 sqm floor area, this mall is among the world’s largest. What makes this mall special is the 16 lane bowling arena, Olympic sized ice rink and large screen cinema that can accomodate 350 seats. In addition to those recreational features is the 148 meter Seaside Tower.

Location: Cebu City

Gross Floor Area: 470,490 m²

4. SM Mall of Asia

The mall was crowned as the world’s biggest when it was first introduced to public in 2006. The size of the mall floor area is the stagerring 406,962 sqm and there are four buildings comprising the mall: the main area, the entertainment section, and two car parks.

The availability of more than one thousand retail and dining outlets along with an Olympic sized ice rink and science discovery center called Exploreum has made SM Mall of Asia one unique shopping center.

Location: Bay City, Pasay

Gross Floor Area: 406,962 m²

5. SM City Cebu

Better known as SM Cebu, this is the fourth mall of SM Prime Holdings. Having been through some major development, the 162,000 sqm initial size of the floor area went up to 269,000 in 2007. With the construction of the Northwing new building, the number of shopping and dining outlets has also gone up to almost 700.

Location: Cebu City

Gross Floor Area: 273,804 m²

6. SM Aura Premier

Built as an upscale shopping mall in Metro Manila, SM Aura Premier has the size of 251,000 sqm. Consisting of some high-end stores, restaurants, and bars, the mall connected with the 29 storey SM Aura Office Tower is a convenient place to spend leisure time. Complying with global green standards in terms of efficient use of energy and sustainability, this mall does represent the definition of its name: elegance.

Location: Taguig City

Gross Floor Area: 251,094 m²

7. Glorietta

What was initially planned to be a part Makati Commercial Center has been transformed into a 250,000 sqm shopping mall. Starting its operation in 1992, the mall was then divided into three sections: Glorietta 1, 2 and 3. The mall has been through some changes since then: the addition of Glorietta 4 in 1998 and the stand-alone building of Glorietta 5 away from the other four sections.

Managed by Ayala Malls, this mall provides a complete package of leisure entertainment: cinema, theme park, entertainment hub, etc.

Location: Makati

Gross Floor Area: 250,000 m²

8. Greenbelt Mall

Consisting of five buildings, this mall began its operation in 250,000 sqm floor area in 1989. In 2002, the initial place, however, was reconstructed into the so-called Greenbelt 1, 2, and 3. In two years’ time, Greenbelt 4 was open and three years after that, Greenbelt 5 was launched. Nowadays Greenbelt Mall is dominated by prominent brands and restaurants, although fast food counters and supply stores can still be found in Greenbelt 1. Completing the shopping complex is a park in its open space area.

Location: Makati

Gross Floor Area: 250,000 m²

9. Robinsons Place Manila

Claimed to be the biggest Robinsons mall with the development of its Padre Faura and Midtown wings in years 2000 and 2008, the size of the mall has reached 240,000 sqm. Spread on its seven floors are thousands of both local and international retail stores, restaurants, and entertainment outlets, such as bowling, billiard, and cinema.

Location: Manila

Gross Floor Area: 240,000 m²

10. Robinsons Galleria

Back in the 1990, this was the first launched Robinsons mall. Now it also goes by the name Robinsons Galleria Ortigas due to its location, which is inside a mixed use complex lying on the corner of EDSA Ortigas Avenue. As the flagship of Robinsons Malls, this five storey mall is equipped with hundreds of stores, restaurants, as well as entertainment and service centers.