W
While there is a resurgence in interest in Marikina-
made products, foundational issues remain. Buying
Marikina doesn’t necessarily mean helping Marikina.
As with many aspects in life, we need to first
acknowledge that we have a problem and recognize
it before we can address it. Supporting Marikina by
buying Marikina is a typical response but is no more
than a Band-Aid solution to a problem that requires
extensive surgery procedure.
Our local shoe industry, as with most Philippine-
based and locally-developed industries, suffers from being
rooted in outdated business models. Yes, one can argue
that we have started utilizing the Internet and social
media as selling platforms, but it’s more like changing
the packaging with the same old machine running at
the heart of the business. Let me just reiterate briefly the
main issues of the industry:
Outdated Labor Practices – Most brands big and
micro still practice the piece rate system. Yes, one can
potentially be “your own boss” who can earn a lot if you
are skilled and persistent enough, but this is nothing more
than an economic trap which usually has very limited
opportunities for vertical movement. Those proudly
Marikina-made shoes that you got for P1,600 from a
bazaar brand had a labor budget of around P200 split
among at least three people. This is the very same system
which brought down the shoe industry because, at this
time, we do not have the all year-round volume demand
that the industry enjoyed back in the 80s.
Limited Local Materials – While there are a variety
of options in the market, most of it is imported from
China. The outsoles options are limited and the new
EVA and PU prebuilt outsoles are imported already.
The main issue with this is supply availability. Since most
of the available imported materials do not have a steady
supply, samples/prototypes are hard to develop since, even
if it gets lots of orders, there is no assurance that there are
enough of the imported components. And even if there
are, once the local supply runs out, it is hard to say when
the materials will be back in supply, making it difficult to
market unless for limited releases or special projects.
Lack of Professionalization – There are no standards
in place and no overall umbrella group to ensure that
our local industry is progressive in terms of quality
and design. The lack of basic shoemaking education
has created a weak foundation for the industry. While
there are remedies in the custom shoe market, the
lack of professional standards will definitely affect the
commercial products in the long run.
The lack of professionalization also creates a
problem with continuity and issues with training new
shoemakers. Without proper basic foundations in sizing
and fitting, how can the industry create products which
comply with industry standards to be able to meet basic
customer expectations.
Lack of Public Awareness – Marikina, being the
shoemaking capital of the Philippines, prides itself with
handcrafted shoes. Most of the shoes that are being sold by
local brands are usually assembled mostly by hand still. Lack
of consumer awareness further adds to the inherent flaws
of the industry, pushing it towards a degenerative path.
Supporting businesses that push down quality and underpay
shoemakers in order to meet price demands weakens the
industry. It also doesn’t help that older shoemakers themselves
might be unaware of the negative effects that some of their
practices/traditions are inflicting to the industry.
115