MANILA, Philippines – President Rodrigo Duterte, a self-confessed shoe addict, showed off his leather shoes made in Marikina to Cabinet members on Wednesday, July 27. 

In a photo released by Malacañang, Duterte is seen showing Foreign Secretary Perfecto Yasay Jr, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III, and National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr his brown leather shoes. This was after his meeting with US Secretary of State John Kerry.

According to the President, they were from a shoemaker in Marikina, a city so famous for its shoe industry that it has a Shoe Museum.

“May nagpadala nitong [sapatos], babae, sabi niya ginawa daw ng tatay niya sa Marikina,” Duterte says in a PTV4 video.

(The shoes were sent by a woman who said they were made by her dad in Marikina.)

Duterte praised the Filipino craftmanship that went into his shoes.

“Ang Filipino-made sa craftmanship, number one, even sa furniture. Walang makatalo sa Filipino,” he said.

(Filipino-made is number one in craftmanship, even in furniture. Nothing beats the Filipino.)

One other Filipino president is known to have worn Marikina-made shoes – former president Ferdinand Marcos. In fact, his old shoes are on display at the Marikina Shoe Museum.

Duterte admits he is crazy for shoes, even joking to Rappler “that’s the only thing I have in common with Imelda Marcos” when he showed his collection of shoes in September 2015. – Rappler.com