The opening of SM City Bataan by SM Prime Holdings Inc. is seen to boost the local economy in terms of job generation and the stirring up of local micro, small and medium enterprises.
In a statement, the firm said over 96 percent of the mall’s administration staff are Bataeños, including two in leadership roles. With a workforce of over a thousand across mall tenants—and still increasing, the mall proudly showcases the skills and expertise of the community.
Congressman Albert S. Garcia, Bataan’s 2nd District Representative, joined thousands of Bataeños on the opening of SM City Bataan, the first SM mall in the province and the 83rd nationwide.
He expressed his support and heralded the positive economic implications of the mall’s establishment to the province as a whole.
“When we had the ocular for the different stores during the blessing, we found out that almost everyone working there is from Bataan. They are residents of either Balanga, Pilar, Orani, Orion, or Hermosa,” Cong. Garcia said.
He added that, “I’m happy to know that these jobs are filled by Bataeños. That is really what we were aiming for to begin with – to present more job opportunities that will help make the lives of every Bataeño better.”
Roberto Santos, the owner of Chedeng’s Snack Bar, expressed his joy at the presence of many local brands that are now in SM City Bataan.
“It’s a big thing that homegrown local brands are now in SM,” he said. “In addition to helping fellow Bataeños, many will be motivated as well to go out and do business with SM to promote the local food industries of the province,” he said.
Garcia also lauded SM City Bataan’s effort to extend support to the province’s local development by featuring homegrown businesses (including family-owned brands and locally managed franchises) in different prominent spaces within the mall which makes it a hub that truly connects communities across the province.
Located in Downtown Balanga, Bataan’s capital city, the newest mall from SM stands as a reliable community partner with its residents not only through its contribution to the local economy but by serving as a center of accessibility with the incorporation of the Bataan Common Terminal in the mall compound.
“The common terminal serves all public utility vehicles in and out of the city,” said SM City Bataan Assistant Mall Manager Jhoanalyn Gatdula.
She noted that, “Not only will this help the general workforce of the mall, but it will also bring comfort to all our commuting customers.”
Accessibility does not end with the mall’s physical structure alone. The 24th mall in North Luzon developed by SM Prime Holdings, Inc., the property arm of SM Investments Corporation, SM City Bataan is strategically located in the capital.
Through the terminal hubs surrounding SM City Bataan, the mall provides a venue for visitors to conveniently explore what the province has to offer – from the Spanish-inspired Plaza Mayor to Dunsulan Falls behind Mt. Samat.
True to the notion that every SM City is unique, SM City Bataan takes pride in its lively and modern take on how a shopping mall should make one feel.
Beyond the abundance of shopping and dining options, there are also installations such as The Art In Motion that elevate the mall experience.
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The article was originally published in Manila Bulletin and written by James A. Loyola.
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