SM COMES TO TAGBILARAN.The SM Group decides to build a mall in Tagbilaran City, which will creare new jobs for Boholanos, according to a recent pronouncement of Mayor Jane Yap (3rd from right). Shown in the photo are personalities from the SM Group and the local government unit of Tagbilaran. From left are SM Prime Vice President Joseph Conrad Balatbat, Atty. Helene Go, SM Supermalls Vice President Gino Borromeo, SM Supermalls Senior Vice President Engr. Bien C. Mateo, Chief of Staff John Geesnell Yap II, Mayor Yap, Rin Tumao, and Atty. Sherlito Columnas Jr. The opening of the mall is set on 2025 in barangay Dao. Contributed photo
Mayor Jane Yap finally announced that the city is welcoming the entry of the SM group into the business landscape here with a plan to build a huge mall complete with amenities.
The mayor welcomed on Sept. 7, 2022, the representatives of SM Supermalls headed by Senior Vice President Engr. Bien Mateo, SM Prime Vice President Joseph Conrad Balatbat, and SM Supermalls Vice President Gino Borromeo to City Hall.
The visit to the City Hall signaled the official announcement of SM group’s entry in Bohol as the newest huge mall operator after Bohol Quality, Alturas Group of Companies and Shoppers’ Mart.
The mayor sees not only economic and business opportunities to flourish with the new mall, but also and more importantly the jobs to be generated for Boholanos, with thousands of job openings expected to be offered.
Reports say the SM group is looking at building a full-service mall complete with a department store, supermarket, cinemas and other standard amenities offered by an SM City Mall in other parts of the country.
“This is SM City Mall, pasabut ani [the mall] is complete with grocery, department store, kadtong mga retail, cinema and all the amenities of an SM Mall,” the mayor said in her interview over Open Forum program on Sept. 9, 2022.
She bared that she specifically asked the SM group officials regarding what kind of mall they will be building in Tagbilaran City.
The officials confirmed that the mall to be built here in Bohol will be similar to a regular SM City mall, like the one in Cebu City.
The mall will be built in an area in barangay Dao behind Camp Bernido, Mayor Jane Yap said in the radio program anchored by Ardy Araneta-Batoy and Dave Albarado.
The mayor further revealed that SM group already finalized talks regarding the acquisition of the lot for the proposed mall.
“Actually, dili na nila [SM group] paliton ang [yuta] kay napalit na, and everything is set except for the necessary business permit,” the mayor explained.
Moreover, the officials of the SM group met with Gov. Aris Aumentado at the Capitol for a courtesy call and in this meeting plans for a mall were laid out, the mayor said.
Based on the pronouncement of Mayor Jane Yap, clearly the SM group already signified its intent to invest in Bohol way before the assumption of the current provincial administration in office.
The construction of the mall will start early next year and the completion is eyed by 2025.
SM TOUCHED BASE HERE BACK IN 2019
It can now be revealed that the SM group pushed the idea of building a mall here back in 2019 during the incumbency of former Mayor John Geesnell “Baba” Yap II, who is now Mayor Jane Yap’s chief of staff.
“They [SM group] were here Oct. 9, 2019, nagstorya sila ni Mayor Baba with Mr. Ronald Tumao, mao sya ang vice president for market research and planning. That was the initial negotiation of SM here in Tagbilaran City,” the mayor narrated.
She added that she was already aware of the location where the future mall will be built before assuming office in June 30, 2022.
However, the city government was unable to release information about the future SM mall as the former mayor signed a non-disclosure agreement with the owners of the lot, Mayor Jane Yap revealed in the radio interview.
It was only last Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2022, when Mayor Jane Yap finally got the go signal to announce the entry of the SM group in Tagbilaran City.
The mayor said that the SM group will be showing her the design and layout of the mall in the coming days.
The mayor is not privy to the actual involvement of the Provincial Government in bringing the SM group here.
Nonetheless, she appreciates the help extended by the Capitol in realizing the entry of SM in the province.
Mayor Jane Yap is glad that the SM group has chosen Tagbilaran City as the location of its mall.
ABOUT SM
The mall business of the SM group is managed under SM Prime Holdings Inc., (SMPH) which is a public company listed in the Philippine Stock Exchange and it is a subsidiary of SM Investment Corporation.
As of April 2022, SMPH operates 79 malls across the country as 25 malls are said to be in the pipeline to be built soon.