President Rodrigo Duterte would want high ranking officials in of PNP and AFP to wear boots made in Marikina.
During his pre-departure speech to visit Russia, Pres. Duterte guaranteed for the quality and class of footwear made in Marikina.
The president said, “I’d like to see the generals wearing the boots of Marikina. They’re good ones ha. Totoo.” Duterte also added that “someday” Marikina Made footwear will be used to comply with the government’s footwear requirements.
He further explained the need to support the shoemaking industry of Marikina. He quoted “All we have to do is to fund them, buy them the machines and they can make good shoes.”
It was July last year when Pres. Duterte wore the leather shoes that was exclusively made for him by Rolando de Guzman Santos, a 68 year-old shoemaker from Marikina.
Marikina was given the title "Shoe Capital of the Philippines" because of its notable shoe industry, being the biggest manufacturer of shoes in the Philippines, producing almost 70% of shoes manufactured in the country. The Philippine International Footwear Center is located here where top quality shoes can be found, and the Shoe Museum houses the largest pair of shoes in a museum as well as the famous shoe collection of the former First Lady Imelda Marcos.
