Geometric patterns, colorful murals adorn Robinsons North Tacloban

There’s no stopping Robinsons Land Corporation (RLC) — not even typhoon Urduja — from expanding its nationwide shopping mall empire as it recently opened its second mall in Tacloban.

The strong winds and heavy rains brought about by Urduja didn’t dampen the spirits of Taclobanons as they trooped to Robinsons Malls North Tacloban in barangay Abucay to join in the festivities and to welcome Robinsons Malls celebrity endorser Maja Salvador and her Wildflower co-stars RK Bagatsing and Joseph Marco, as well as RLC executives and Tacloban city officials.

“Robinsons Malls has always been a worthy partner of the city government in the development of Tacloban,” noted former Tacloban City Mayor Alfred Romualdez. “Kaya kahit masama ang panahon, we made it a point to attend the opening of Robinsons North Tacloban to show our all-out support to RLC. Robinsons Malls is one of the big businesses that never left Tacloban after the onslaught of Yolanda.”

With the opening of Robinsons North Tacloban, more jobs await Taclobanons.

“Now, Taclobanons need not go to Manila or nearby provinces to look for jobs. A lot of our kababayans are also coming back to Tacloban to work. In return, we’ll show our whole-hearted support by keeping your malls full,” said Romualdez.

The opening of RLC’s second mall in Tacloban is also a testament to RLC’s commitment to serving the needs of the locals and the province’s growing economy.

“We’ve been your partner here in Tacloban for a very long time already. And we really want to be your partner in progress and development,” enthused Frederick Go, RLC president. “This is not our last project in Tacloban. We’re also opening the Summit Hotel in less than two months.”

Well, there’s no telling if a typhoon like Yolanda is going to happen again. How prepared is this mall for a super typhoon?

“We do have emergency response teams in place,” assured Arlene Magtibay, SVP and general manager, RLC-Commercial Centers Division. “In terms of design, less glass panels were used in the mall. We’re also coordinating very closely with the city government. They will immediately alert us if there’s an impending typhoon.”

Tindog, Tacloban!?

When RLC opens a new mall in the province, it tries to incorporate local elements in its design to make sure that the culture and heritage of the city are fully embedded in the establishment.

For its 47th mall, RLC puts the spotlight on Tacloban’s Sangyaw Festival in honor of Señor Sto. Niño, which is celebrated on June 29.

At the entrance, a bright mix of fiesta colors and murals greet mall-goers. Geometric shapes line the ceilings of each floor all the way to the common areas and hallways. Even the toilets are decked with images of ethnic Pintados.

The design team put a lot of emphasis on local details to make Taclobanons feel that Robinsons really invested in their city.

“In terms of design, the new mall veers away from the typical box-type edifice,” explained architect Dennis A. Villanueva of LG+V. “We tried to create a festive atmosphere. The colors represent Taclobanons’ festive spirit, while the columns celebrate the locals’ resilience. The underlying theme is ‘Tindog (stand up), Tacloban.”

The joys of shopping and dining in your Neighborhood Mall

Located in barangay Abucay, along President Sergio Osmeña Ave., Robinsons North Tacloban is right across the New Tacloban Terminal, which carries routes in and out of Leyte towns, Northern Samar and Eastern Samar.

“Robinsons North Tacloban will be serving, for the most part, the northern towns of Tacloban, as well as the towns in neighboring Samar,” explained Magtibay.

According to Magtibay, Tacloban has always been one of RLC’s successful malls.

“Having seen how the economy has recovered from Yolanda, we were quite confident that a second mall would do very well. And, given the reception that the mall is getting from the tenants, retailers and restaurants, we’re happy to announce that the mall is actually 99.9 percent leased out,” she continued.

Positioned as a “neighborhood” mall, Robinsons North Tacloban has all the right things and services one needs — from food, clothing, and household needs, down to services.

The three-level mall houses anchor tenants such as Robinsons Department Store, Robinsons Supermarket, Daiso Japan and Handyman. It also boasts four state-of-the-art Robinsons Movieworld cinemas, including one 3D cinema.

On the first floor, you’ll find popular food outlets and restaurants like Kenny Rogers, Shakey’s, Tien Mas and Choobi Choobi. On the local front, there’s Marco Pollo Cafe, which specializes in crepes and smoothies; Pizza Republic “Pick+Mix” by Giuseppe Genco, a fast-casual pizzeria where diners can make their own pizza with over 60 toppings to choose from; Pinutos (located on the third floor), which serves delicious Pinoy food with unli-rice; and Shimanami, a Japanese restaurant that specializes in ramen and gyoza, among others.

“In terms of tenants, we made it a point to bring new players in every category, which the market hasn’t experienced yet,” Magtibay added. “Kenny Rogers opened its first branch in Tacloban, as well as Singaporean restaurant Tien Mas. Robinsons North Tacloban also has a gym (Elevate Fitness Studio), a pet shop and a wedding library.”

The beauty and wellness hub is located on the second floor. Check out Skin Perfect for your facial needs, Tabiluc Cosmetics and Salon Elegance.

Robinsons Malls Lingkod Pinoy Center, which includes the Department of Foreign Affairs and Pag-Ibig, are on the third floor.

In a bid to help small, micro-retailers join the mall and improve their brands, Robinsons North Tacloban also highlights homegrown brands. In fact, 25 percent of its tenants consist of the best of North Tacloban’s establishments.

Robinsons North Tacloban, your neighborhood mall, definitely has everything you need and more!?

* * *

Robinsons North Tacloban is located in barangay Abucay, along President Sergio Osmeña Ave.