FUN FINDS

Shoes galore at Marikina, the country's Shoe Capital. Click for more photos.

And yes, of course you musn't leave Marikina without getting your hands on their authentic hand-crafted shoes. Visit Jap's Shoes Factory, a garage converted into a shoe store, just across Panciteria ni Edong and cruise through rows and rows of footwear from slippers, to sandals, to boots, and more, that are purely local. You might even see all the hardworking women and men of Jap's with their workstation just beside the store.

Drop by the International Footwear Center and visit the Otto Shoes Store. Otto shoes has long stepped out of the "school shoes" image and now carries different types of footwear that are at par with foreign brands and can be worn at work, home, and gimmicks.

Imbibe the style of Arvin "Tado" Jimenez by shopping at his Limitado: Dressed to Kill and Other Things store in Roxas Street, Calumpang. The store sells T-shirts, bags, footwear, accessories, toys, DVD collectibles, and other items.

Now here's a market that you'd like to have in your neighborhood. Dubbed as the "People's Mall", the Marikina Public Market makes shopping more convenient and enjoyable for both consumers and vendors. All peripheral roads are roofed (about 439 meters long) making the different areas accessible. The area is also kept clean and laws are strictly enforced to ensure healthy competition between vendors and protection of consumer rights.

Artwork by Warren Espejo. Photos by Jean Natividad. Additional photos from Pan De Amerikana, Isabelo, and Limitado.