Marikina City is known as the shoe capital of the Philippines because there are many shoe manufacturer living here. Although it doesn't lively compare to the previous decades. But despite of that no other town in our country could beat them that’s why the title is still for them. Marikeño are very proud when their city was written in the Guinness Book of World Records for having the biggest shoe all over the world. And their local government is also proud to present to the public the Marikina Shoe Museum.
The museum was built in 1999 to promote their shoe industry. It is near at San Roque Church and Kapitan Moy. If you are here, it seems that you’re in a factory and showroom for shoes. You will see many different designs of shoes here from ordinary to expensive shoes. They have showcases of shoes owned by political figures, actors and actresses, movie director, beauty queen, business tycoon and any other famous personalities in the Philippines. They put labels and pictures, so, it is so easy to recognize who are the owners of the shoes here. The museum has also a collection of native shoe from selected countries like Korea, Japan, etc.
The museum has also paintings and of course the subject is about shoes. They have also a sofa that curved like a shoe. Hmm, it seems that it is good to lie down or sit here. But they don't allow it; this is for display only.
The highlight of the museum is the shoe collections of Imelda Marcos, who had many pairs of shoes when she was still a first lady. She had 3,000 pair of shoes and 800 of them were put here. Her shoes are really extravagant. Some of them are international brands like Ferragamo, Givenchy, Chanel, Christian Diiro, Charles Jordan and Badly. While the local brands are Rustans, Jermerlyn’s Werlets, etc. Of course, she had also shoes made in Marikina! Maybe for other people, her obsession for shoes was not good. It only reminds them how she lived a luxurious life. But according to Imelda, “More than anything, this museum will symbolize the spirit and culture of the Filipino people.”
Aside from the shoe collections of Imelda, she also has pictures with famous political figures in the world like Robert Kennedy, Ronald Raegan, Jimmy Carter, Prince Charles and even the communist leaders like Fidel Castro of Cuba and Mao Tse Tong of China. Imelda has a natural charm that’s why her husband always with her every time he visited abroad. Until now the charm of Imelda never ends because she is still involved in politics despite of her age.