Marikina, renowned for its rich shoemaking heritage, faces threats due to the declining interest of locals and the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic impacting the industry.
“Shoe industry in Marikina as of the moment… it’s a very dying art, most of the artisans are not getting any younger, they are still the same artisans that I’ve worked with since 2011,” Joco Comendador, owner of the Joco Comendador Footwear + Art said in a video interview.
During the COVID-19 pandemic in August 2020, nearly 80% of the local shoemakers had to cease operations, while the remaining 20% shifted to online platforms, Marcelino Teodoro, Mayor of Marikina said.
“The real challenge is the interest of some people to do shoes. We are so few, from ten, now, I only have three regular people doing shoes for me, while the rest are on-call, and some of them passed away already,” Mr. Comendador said.
In response to the decline in local shoemakers, Joco Comendador initiated his workshops in 2018 to impart an interest in shoemaking among aspiring local artisans.
“I did the workshops because I want people to feel or see…it’s fun to make shoes, it’s great to keep the Marikina tradition alive or the shoe industry alive in the Philippines,” he said.
Joco Comendador has conducted more than thirty workshops in partnership with other coworking spaces and organizations to preserve the long heritage of shoemaking in Marikina.
“In order to sustain an industry, you need to share the knowledge, you need to share the interest, you need to share the passion. If I die or if other designers stop doing what they’re doing (shoemaking), sino na lang ang magpapatuloy ng industry [who will inherit the shoemaking industry],” he furthered.
Mr. Comendador also noticed significant movements from the government to boost the local shoemaking industry, including free-shoemaking courses in schools, holding footwear design competitions, and trade fairs.
Through these efforts, Mr. Comendador remains optimistic that Marikina will still retain its status as the “Shoe Capital of the Philippines.”
“Habang may nakikita pa akong tao na [As long as I can still see people who are] interested when it comes to shoemaking, I can safely say yes, Marikina can still uphold to be the shoe capital of the Philippines,” he furthered.
Mr. Comendador also encourages aspiring artisans to enjoy their passion for shoemaking and surround themselves with people with the same passion.