The City of Marikina is aiming to revive its footwear industry via the set up of a one-stop shop and the inclusion of shoemaking in the certification program of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda).
Marikina Mayor Marcelino Teodoro revealed that shoemaking will soon have a National Certification (NC) from the Tesda after he met with Tesda Chief Isidro Lapeña to make a pitch for the inclusion of shoemaking in the agency’s programs.
“I recently talked to Tesda Chief Lapeña and asked him to give shoemaking a national certification [NC]. [I am] Happy to announce that Tesda, in the next six months, will have a shoemaking accreditation,” Teodoro said.
“Our approach is institutional, shoemaking will be included in the curriculum because there is a need for skilled workers,” he said, adding that it also aims to address the need for more shoemakers in the Philippines.
Teodoro said earlier that the local shoe industry, which continues to compete with cheaper imports, lacks around 2,000 workers.
The P60-million Shoe Tech School will be located inside the campus of Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Marikina (PLMAR).
Teodoro said Marikina shoemakers recently came together instead of competing and that they are now more organized than before with the same goal: to help the local shoe industry flourish again.
He said Marikina will soon have a one-stop shop which will feature all Marikina-made shoes.
“This move of creating a one-stop shop is to help our businessmen and shoemakers. If before, people have a hard time looking for shops, they can just go to this shop where all designs from various shops will be displayed and sold,” Teodoro said.
Unlike imported shoes which are not durable, Teodoro said Marikina shoes can last for a year, citing a shoe test conducted by the local government.
He also said the trainers for the Shoe Tech School who trained overseas are now ready to teach aspiring shoemakers.
In 2017, the Department of Trade and Industry said it remains committed in supporting the Marikina shoe industry from the policy and program level that will improve access to raw materials and supply chain, as well as enjoin the government and private sectors to give preference to buying locally made shoes.