CEBU, Philippines – Robinsons Land Corp. recently opened here its biggest mall outside Metro Manila with no less than John Gokongwei, the founder of the diversified Gokongwei Group, leading the rites.
Located at the thriving growth area of Gen. Maxilom Avenue, the 4.7-hectare Robinsons Galleria Cebu is RLC’s 41st and third largest mall.
It has four commercial levels, with over 300 international, regional and popular brands and six cinemas including two 3D theaters with a total seating capacity of 1,774. In a briefing with reporters on the sidelines of the opening, RLC president Frederick Go said the company’s latest mall is targeted to become a major landmark in the city where Gokongwei first built his empire.
“This is our third largest mall after Manila, Galleria and then this. It’s very special to us because Mr. Gokongwei is from Cebu. It was built based on his direction. It’s something that can be a landmark that can boost trade and tourism here in Cebu,” Go said.
In the 1940s, Gokongwei, a young trader then, built his multi-billion empire by trading basic goods on a bicycle and on board a small boat off the pier of Cebu. He supported his widowed family with sheer hard work while growing to become one of the country’s captains of commerce.
Gokongwei eventually rose to become a living legend in the country’s food, real estate, aviation, and telecommunications industries, and returns to the Queen City with a retail landmark dedicated to the Filipino family’s tireless pursuits of a better life.
The mall’s anchor tenants include Robinsons Department Store, Robinsons Selections, True Value, Robinsons Appliances, Daiso, and Toys R Us.
It also has a luxurious list of international retail brands, with labels like Mango, Topshop, Dorothy Perkins, Burton, G2000, Lacoste, Clinique, L’Occitane, MAC, Charriol, American Tourister, Aerosoles, Jelly Bunny, Aldo, Amazonas, and Grind.
Go said the mall is designed with the main goal of sustainability in mind, setting a new green-print for responsible commercial structures to come.
“The mall is very green. There are a lot of environmental friendly features. We use LED lights and soon we will provide the roof with solar panels, “ Go said.
Furthermore, its rest areas only feature water-saving fixtures such as non-flush urinals and automatic faucets, and its plumbing design limits waste water through strategic water recycling.
Aside from the new Robinsons Mall, RLC will also put up a Galleria Residences. “With over 6,600 square meters, the Galleria Residences will feature three ultra-modern residential towers that will offer spacious living areas, world-class leisure amenities and contemporary conveniences,” RLC said.
There will also be a Summit Hotel Galleria Cebu, with 220 guest rooms.
RLC’s business processing offices will also break ground within the development, with an approximate gross leasable area of 8,800 sqm.