Malling in the City

The Manila String Machine Quartet at SM Lanang Premier

People in Davao City have various options when it comes to spending their leisure time. They can spend it close to nature such as the beach, at inland resorts with swimming pools or they can go malling.

Malling is one of the top leisure activities of Filipinos. It is for this reason that almost every city in the country has a number of malls.

Here in Davao, new and more modern malls have sprouted in the recent years. Back in 1997 when I first settled here, I only knew of Victoria Plaza, Gaisano Ilustre and Gaisano Mall which just opened at that time. Of the three, Gaisano Mall was the most modern and the biggest then.

Eventually, SM city also came in. It was then followed by the construction of the NCCC Mall in addition to its main department store along Uyanguren.

A year ago in May, Abreeza of the Ayala Malls became the biggest and world class shopping mall in the city. This complex is a collaboration between the Floirendos of Davao and Ayalas of Manila. The mall's opening gave Davaoenos an opportunity to experience a shopping center in the same level as that of those in Metro Manila. And it made the locals here truly happy.

But that's not all there is to it. The management of SM Supermalls decided to set up a second mall this time in the Lanang area called SM Lanang Premier. This complex competes closely with Abreeza in terms of size but boasts of more advanced features such as its IMAX Cinema. Also, this SM mall has an SMX Convention Center considered the second in the country after Metro Manila. And unlike its SM City buildings that normally have the same architectural design, this one is different as it features a sky garden and dancing fountains.

SM Lanang Premier opened last September 28 and now, Davaoenos have a new mall where they can spend their time strolling and shopping. And as this is very near my place, I have been there many times already since it opened. I actually do most of my financial transactions (pay bills and bank transactions via BDO) there too. I'm sharing a photo I took during the opening day featuring the Manila String Machine Quartet.

Malling doesn't have to be an expensive activity. You can just go window shopping and be entertained there by visiting artists and the new movies at the cinemas. As long as you don't let yourself go hungry, malling can be a fun experience for people of all ages.