Beyond being widely recognized for its shoe industry, the Marikina City government has opened a heritage building to preserve and promote the city’s broader cultural identity and history, ensuring that its traditions are passed on to future generations.

On Thursday, April 16, the three-story Marikina Heritage Building was officially opened in Barangay San Roque, adjacent to the Marikina Shoe Museum. The opening coincided with a series of community-centered activities led by the city government, including a job fair and a pet vaccination and grooming initiative, reflecting the city’s commitment to holistic and inclusive development.

Mayor Marjorie Ann “Maan” Teodoro described the building as a space that tells the city’s story beyond its reputation as the nation's shoe capital, a distinction deeply rooted in its rich shoemaking heritage.

“Ito po ang pinangarap natin dahil kahit tayo ay 396 years old, wala pa po tayong Marikina Museum. We only have the Shoe Museum, which houses all the shoes—ang ating industriya (This is what we have long envisioned, because even after 396 years, we still do not have a Marikina Museum. We only have the Shoe Museum, which houses all the shoes—our industry),” she said.

However, the mayor emphasized that Marikina is not only defined by its shoe industry, but also by the stories of every family that have shaped the city. It is a city with deep history, roots, and people whose stories deserve to be preserved.

“Pero hindi naman tayo basta sapatos lang. Tayo po ay isang lungsod, may mga pamilya, mga kanya-kanyang pamumuhay (But we are not just about shoes. We are a city with families and our own individual ways of living,” she added.

The new Marikina Heritage Building provides a more comprehensive platform to showcase the city’s heritage, especially its families and ancestral roots.

The mayor said it features exhibits on at least 50 Marikina clans, giving visitors a glimpse of their origins and contributions to the city’s development.

“Makikita niyo kung saan nagsimula ang bawat angkan. Ito po’y 50 sa lahat ng angkan. Marami pa po ang angkan sa Marikina (You will see where each clan began. These 50 are only some of all the clans. There are still many more clans in Marikina),” she said.

She added that the initial exhibit will run for three months, with plans for future expansions and evolving displays.

Teodoro also mentioned that the Heritage Building is envisioned as an inclusive cultural space open to both residents and visitors.

“Paanyaya na maranasan natin kung ano ang Marikina… mas maganda na mapuntahan din ito ng mga taga-ibang lungsod para makita nila ang kayamanan ng Marikina (It is an invitation for us to experience what Marikina is. It would also be better if people from other cities can visit so they can see the richness of Marikina),” she stated.

Meanwhile, Marikina First District Rep. Marcelino “Marcy” Teodoro underscored the importance of preserving heritage as part of the city’s continued progress.

“Sa pagmamalasakit, sa pagpapakahalaga sa nakaraan, kaya natin buhayin ito (Through care and by valuing the past, we are able to keep it alive),” he said.