By Marjorie Gorospe

If you want to take a glimpse of the former first lady Imelda Marcos’ shoe collection, then you should drop by the Shoe Museum in Marikina City.

Over 800 pairs of shoes are displayed, mostly owned by Imelda Marcos while she was First Lady and Governor of Metro Manila. There are also pairs of shoe coming from President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, Senator Manny Villar, Senator Panfilo Lacson and other current and former leaders of the country.

“I ask them and sometimes request if they can donate a shoe to the museum,” says museum curator Dolly Borlongan.

Borlongan recalls the contribution of Marcos to the shoe industry of Marikina, as she has always been the number one promoter of Marikina shoes, wearing them during special occasions.

Known as the shoe capital of the Philippines, the Shoe Museum hopes to carry on the tradition and pride of the Marikeños.

In 2002, Marikina shoemakers made world record when they created the largest shoes measuring 5.5 meters long, 2.25 meters wide and 1.83 meters high.

Borlongan says he wanted to place gargantuan pair of shoes in the museum. However, there was little space to spare in the museum. So the giant shoes are resting at the Marikina River Banks Mall.

During my visit to the museum, Borlongan granted my wish to see the giant shoes. When I saw it, I realized the museum represents Marikeños proud tradition.