MANILA, Philippines — Marikina City on Thursday opened its new Heritage Building in San Roque, creating a space that highlights the city’s history and identity beyond its long-known shoe industry.
Located beside the Marikina Shoe Museum, the three-storey building serves as a broader cultural space for the city’s families, roots and way of life more than just a shoe industry.
Mayor Marjorie Ann “Maan” Teodoro said the project addresses a long-standing gap in how Marikina tells its story, noting that the city has long been represented mainly by its shoe-making heritage despite being nearly four centuries old.
“This is what we dreamed of because even if we are already 396 years old, we still do not have a Marikina Museum,” Teodoro said.
She said the Heritage Building’s first exhibit features at least 50 Marikina clans, giving residents and visitors a glimpse of the families and ancestral roots that helped shape the city.
The initial exhibit will run for three months, with the city planning to expand and rotate displays in the future.
First District Rep. Marcelino “Marcy” Teodoro said preserving heritage is part of protecting Marikina’s cultural identity as the city continues to grow.
