A Big Inspiration with the "Big Shoes"

Having been here in Marikina City, the Shoe Capital of the Philippines, for almost 16 years now made me witnessed it up's and down's. I am not a legitimate Marikena but my heart fell in love with the city years and years ago when I started my high school here. It has evolved into a beautiful and progressive one, thanks to the Mayor then, whom is the present Vice President candidate Bayani "BF" Fernando.

Marikina is known for it's quality made shoes. You can find shoe factory in every corner and street of the city. It has helped a lot of people to have a better living by making shoes. Even people from neighborhood cities founded their jobs here. The shoes were made from leather and were made with tender loving care of the sapateros that made it strong and durable. It was so sad to think that now, the very progressive shoe industry is deteriorating, more so, will come to an end. Thanks to the China shoes that are coming in our country.

What are these China shoes anyway? Well, they are much cheaper compared to the one's made in Marikina. They are the one's that you can find in every Tiange, Bazaars and small establishments in markets and the likes. They are usually made from plastic or rubber. And they are the one's killing the shoe industry here in the Philippines. Making thousands of sapatero's and their families jobless.

In the last Ondoy typhoon that hit the Philippines massively, one that was greatly affected is Marikina City. And one of the tourist spot that is affected is the "Big Shoes" which was declared by the Guiness Book of World Records as the "Largest Shoes in the World, last December 23, 2002." Having the Big Shoes now is a sure sign of the peoples love and loyalty of the city. They are as one in achieving their goals and dreams. And for them doing this will not only bring pride to the city but to themselves as well.

And with that, even though I am not a legitimate Marikena, still I am proud that ones in my life I have witnessed the progress of the city. And with the Big Shoes still standing and making it's mark to every people, it will serve as my inspiration in achieving whatever goals I have in mind and always thinking that whatever problems that I may encounter, I can still stand up and conquer it. Just like the Big Shoes!