ESPUERTA, Erica Marie L.

Mrs Aleli Garcia

Cedap-IAA

Mall culture and consumerism in the Philippines

Jore-Annie Rico and Kim Robert C. de Leon

Just a few years ago, the Philippines was dubbed as “the sick man of Asia.” Today,
it is a regional star, with its stellar economic performance at 6.6% in 2012, coming second
only to China’s 7.8%. Standard & Poor’s (S&P) elevated the country’s credit rating from
“stable” to “positive,” and may, according to the Philippine Finance Minister, soon get an
investment grade that will enable it to attract even more foreign direct investment
(FDI). Likewise, the World Bank has for the third time upgraded the country’s growth
forecast. Its stock market is one of the best performers in the region. In the Philippines,
the impact of shopping malls is even greater as it contributes to the changing social and
political landscapes of the country. Malls have a way of urbanizing rural areas. The class-
conscious, Manila-centric, elite mentality is now being challenged by talents and
resources in the provinces. The narrowing of the urban-rural divide has a way of
narrowing income gaps, increasing the purchasing power of the poor, decreasing
inefficiencies, and incentivizing the education and skilling of the workforce. The modest
shopping mall is an indicator of future economic growth, and the Philippines is building
them at a very rapid rate. Private investments, especially in the retail industry, are creating
major contributions to the country’s economic success, including the modest shopping
mall. Shopping malls are proliferating in towns and cities far beyond Metro
Manila. According to data provided by the Philippine Retailers Association, shopping
malls account for about 15% of the country’s GNP and 33% of the entire services
sector. They employ about 18% of the Philippine labor force, translating into about 5.25
million employed Filipinos. While shopping malls have an effect on people's lives, not all
of their effects have been positive. Most of the shops and services found in malls are
parts of large corporations. These businesses take away customers from smaller shops
in near towns, forcing many of them to close. That has led to fewer individually owned
businesses and less local control over jobs. In addition, malls are harmful to the
environment. They are often built on land that is important to the survival of birds and wild
animals. Wherever they are built, they cover large areas with buildings and parking
places-instead of trees or grass. Thus they contribute to the loss of nature. And finally,
malls are usually built far away from the city or town center. This means that people must
go to those malls by their own cars, resulting in increased air pollution and heavy traffic
on nearby roads.