by CELINE LI
What struck me most when I first set foot in the Philippines was the abundance of shopping malls. On the way from the airport to our residence, I counted nearly a dozen shopping malls, passing one every few minutes. These massive buildings were far from ordinary; they occupied vast acres of land, with stores and restaurants from one end of the street to the other in a seemingly endless maze, stretching for what seemed like several soccer fields in length.
Digging a little deeper, I learned that shopping malls were not only a place where Filipinos met friends and family, but also a way for people to unwind, relieve stress and even work productively (1). Interviewing a few locals on our first day of work, I learned that shopping malls were an endemic feature of the Philippines. Not only these spaces were meeting places, they also represented a fiber of the zeitgeist: a rampant culture of conspicuous consumption that has made its way throughout Southeast Asia over the past decade (2). Shopping malls are at the epicenter of this endless cycle of work and leisure, bringing these seemingly dichotomous activities together under one roof. Not to mention the fact that these megacenters serve as people’s refuge from the congested roads, unbearable heat and unpredictable downpours that occur almost every day of the summer (3).
From furniture stores to cinemas, churches to ice rinks, it’s easy to see why shopping malls attract people of all ages, preferences and backgrounds (4). The impeccable dining rooms and charming architecture drew us in, but the playfulness of famous brands like Nike and Starbucks, the interactive displays of Inside Out characters and the glittering merry-go-round enticed us to stay. Each of these elements complemented and enhanced our experience, making our journey through these malls not only immersive but also very memorable. On several occasions, my fellow interns and I spent hours wandering around the aptly named Mall of Asia, and, not surprisingly, we couldn’t find our way back from where we’d entered. Ranked as the sixth largest shopping mall in the world (5), I was certain that each visit would be filled with new discoveries, whether cultural, social, historical, financial, religious or leisure-related.
Essentially, malls combine retail with interactive, exciting and stimulating attributes, capitalizing on the global paradigm shift towards digitization, while keeping consumers satisfied and engaged, prolonging their stay and boosting sales. The comparison between the sparsely decorated malls found in America and the vibrant community centers of the Philippines becomes incomparable. “Malls are a means of escape for most Filipinos, discouraged by the difficulties of everyday life “(6). We can conclude that shopping malls represent a haven of peace in the midst of urban chaos. In a country where security, internet access and clean toilets are rare, shopping is perhaps not just an occasional outing, but an activity that contributes to a better quality of life.
As I continued to wander among the bustling market stalls, I couldn’t help but wonder how these mega-malls managed to be viable in a country where almost 20% of the population lives below the national poverty line (7)? Moreover, given the decline of shopping malls in America, how did they manage to remain so imposing in Southeast Asian countries?
As a Canadian-born Chinese student, it was clear to me that disparate economic models were affecting Asian countries like the Philippines, as opposed to Europe and the USA, but what exactly was drawing this strict line between consumers in the North and those in the South? I was both fascinated and confused, but my curiosity pushed me to the end of my questioning.
Alternatives International for more