Tacloban’s mall aspiration: Update
View latest update posted April 09, 2008
So I was not alone in my assessment on Tacloban’s need for a decent shopping center, even just a small mall. If my site’s statistics feedback is any indication, my post, “Tacloban’s mall aspiration” is currently among the top 5 visited posts!
So acceding to the request of many for updates on this development, here are the latest photos of Robinsons Mall Tacloban (yes, I went up again for some aerial shots!) 
The building in the upper-left side of the photos above is not part of the mall development; it is a warehouse mart.
Photos above of Robinsons Mall Tacloban development taken Saturday, March 01, 2008
As expected, this development has prompted a response from the competition. A Taclobanon posted this reply on Gaisano Tacloban’ s plans to renovate its store at Justice Romualdez and also mentioned about plans to build another branch somewhere along Real St (exact location still unconfirmed).
Here’s the architect’s rendition of the proposed new Gaisano Capital Mall Tacloban:
View Architect Domark Ybañez Paquibot’s site here
View my earlier post on Tacloban’s mall aspiration
man, all i wish is that they have decent cinemas and comic+books stores.
Gosh, Gaisano shouldn’t be left behind (I mean Tacloban, shouldn’t). But it needs a competitor or competitors to wake up. And so, it is about time the likes of Gokongwei or Sy kept coming.
Salamat. Fatima church ito nga aada ha background, ano? Nice concept from the Gaisano architect. Economic stimulus is what Tacloban needs as well.
Yup, Fatima Church in Marasbaras.
gerry, greatly appreciate your letting us see this development in tacloban, I look forward to the photos you post. Tacloban is definitely moving forward and it would be an added incentive to visit our city again and again.
Pleasure’s mine, Marlyn.
What I am eagerly awaiting is the blueprint for the construction of the completely new Tacloban DZR Airport! THAT will surely be great! The architect is a friend of mine. 
Yes, Gerry, I am now a fan of yours. I have long been searching for that one in the net hoping they would post it - which I doubt… hehehe
Will wait for that here in your site… I think I visit your site a minimum of 5 times a day…
Hehehe! Thank you, sir! Balitaw, just got word from my friend architect that there’s no final design yet on the new airport, only preliminary studies.
Finally!! This is near our house too. My dad was teasing my mom that walking to Robinsons will be her warm-up and going around the mall will be her exercise. LOL
Thank you for posting this pics, Mr. Gerry. I always go online and search on google the mall development in Tacloban. I’m glad I found your site coz now I believe that it’s gonna push through because I can see it with my eyes thru your pics!
The total area looks small, I hope they’re planning underground parking. Underground parking would be great. The cars don’t bake in the sun and people will be able to spend more time there, knowing they don’t have to get into a hot car. Thanks for the aerial shots…they always give a lot of info.
Padi, i’m glad to see you’re enjoying your new hobby. I believe it will evolve into a commercial endeavor, and i congratulate you for that. It’s heartwarming to see a good friend doing things better than he usually does, or did in the past. Keep it up, idol!
Thanks for your eloquent and kind verdict, Most Honorable Judge
Hi, Gerry, this is Arch’t. Domark Y. Paquibot of the Gaisano Capital Group of Companies Store Planning and Development.
The (company) president, Henry Gaisano has proposed to open the mall before Christmas. Good news for Tacloban!
I appreciate your effort in posting the proposed new branch in Tacloban. Keep up the good work.
Thank you, Architect Domark for bringing us the good news!
Just some clarifications - a) Are you referring to the Gaisano Tacloban Justice Romualdez branch or to the one previously mentioned as being proposed to be put up in Real St? b) May we know where exactly in Real St is the proposed second branch going to be put up?
Thanks a lot!
Hello Gerry, I’m referring to the (Gaisano Tac) J. Romualdez St. which is an ongoing project (the one you’ve posted.) The proposed branch at Real St. is beside the gasoline station. You’d see a bodega inside; that’s the one I’m referring to as the other project. This is subject to observation of the first mall we put up in J. Romualdez.
Thanks again for your time!
do you have a copy of the blue print for the mall structure? If you have the copy, can you post it for your updates? Thank you for all this gerry…
Sorry, but I don’t currently have a blue print on the proposed mall
If ever I get hold of it, will post it here.
It’s ok, no worries. I’m just too excited for this new shopping malls they’re putting up. It’s really about time for the Taclobanons to have a shopping mall… And of course, a new airport terminal. In this way, it will not only generate a lot of income for the city but as well as encourage a lot of investors. I have a good feeling that the city will be something great in the future, this is just a part of the beginning.
I cannot agree with salabatog any more better. In my travels to other Philippine cities where one can easily see their respective development progress, the question would always pose itself to me: why are these things not happening (yet) in Tacloban? Is it purely an economic thing? Or are there other factors involved, like politics, the local constituency and the kind of local leadership we have had for decades? The bottom line is - we’ve been at the bottom for years; I see no other way but UP!
Hi, I’m from Ormoc, I would like to inquire if the Gaisano Capital Group is also interested to build a mall here in Ormoc? I learned from an insider at Ormoc City Hall that the Gaisano’s bought a prime lot at Brgy. Alegria recently.
wow, this is my first time to hear that there will be a new building for gaisano. that’s great, man, kasi kung wala kang mga photos here ’bout sa nangyayari sa leyte, hindi ko pa malalaman.
^
Robinson’s construction site po yun nasa taas, yung new mall ng gaisano ay proposal pa lamang daw pero ung current dept store nila sa Justice irerenovate nila
Wow… Thank you, Gerry for posting this sketch of Gaisano Mall. We greatly appreciate your sharing to us these pictures!
Wanna share you something (about mall developments) in Cagayan de Oro City. In 2002, SM City came to CDO. Existing malls in the city were encouraged to renovate with the SM entry - a bigger mall to operate 8Km away from the city proper on the hilly place near the airport. Limketkai Mall spent a billion pesos to counter the arrival of SM City. Robinsons Supercenter expanded later inside Limketkai Business Center, Makro was later left behind, also 3 Ororamas Dept Stores and most of the 4 Gaisano Stores. But with the increase of business opportunities in Northern Mindanao, still only Limketkai Mall became one of the big and decent malls in Mindanao. The Gaisano’s on the other hand, countered the needs of our Muslim brothers in the Lanao area by putting up Gaisano Mall of Iligan which will open in the mid of 2008.
Maybe this would also happen in Tacloban if Gaisano would counter the needs of the Leyteños and Samareños, and also welcome the entry of SM in the region. Tacloban has lots of potential since it is the center of trade and commerce in the region.
Mr Ruiz, I would like to know if your roots come from Hinunangan? Thnx a lot.
Hi whennacks theater. Nope, I’m not from Hinunangan. I was born and raised in Tacloban City - my father, though, hails from San Isidro, Nueva Ecija and my mother is from Palo, Leyte.
Yes! Finally I don’t have to go to Cebu for National Bookstore.
It’s wonderful to see Tacloban City progressing to a grand Regional Capital from a small colony of Palo.
WOW!
i’m just curious if the once republic theater building along justice romualdez is the one being renovated for a bigger gaisano mall? it seems to be a very big lot. keep us updated on this.
Joel, I noticed this too but there seems to be no official announcement from Gaisano Tacloban. If the fact that there’s no renovation activity at the Tacloban Shopping Center (while work is in progress at the old Republic Theater) is any indication, then one can conclude that the J. Romualdez Gaisano that Architect Domark Paquibot is referring to is the old Republic Theater.
On the other hand, the proposed Real branch of Gaisano is at the corner of Lukban & Real Streets, but this is still tentative.
thanks gerry… i’m just excited to see these developments; there’s a lot as you pointed out on your web page. it matters a lot to us, gerry, these information you’ve been sharing with us. it’s been a long eight years since i’ve been home and finally december, this year is going to be the time! i miss Tacloban and the whole Leyte as well. there’s no place like home, right? i hope to see all these developments and hope they all get finished. no need for us to go over to Cebu. do keep us updated if you get some new info. thank you very much and more power to your web and your cafe with great food. godbless, we love you all.
Gerry, when are you going to post recent pictures of the Robinsons construction? thanks! you really help us a lot who misses Leyte so much!
is having a mall now measures the progress of an urban center? dumaguete has a mall but the economic status is still the same 15 years ago. so what’s the fuzz of having robinsons here in tacloban?
@Toto, there really is no fuzz at all. It’s just the added convenience when buying things and the availability of more choices for the public consumers that matter.
As for its being posted here, it’s more of sharing this development to denizens of Tacloban who do not have much options when it comes to shopping, unlike others in other Philippine urban centers.
yehey!!! diri na huron it tacloban!!! hehehehe