Iloilo, Naga, Batangas emerge as commercial growth spots as SM adds 70,000 sqm of mall space

SM is expanding its mall footprint in three regional cities as growing tourism and economic activity create demand for more retail and commercial space.

Iloilo City, Naga City, and Santo Tomas City are emerging as the next major commercial hubs outside Metro Manila, with 70,000 square meters of new mall space set to come online across the three cities.

The expansion puts more retail and commercial capacity into three regional markets that are seeing growing tourism and economic activity, while giving businesses and consumers more space outside the country’s traditional urban centers.

Iloilo City will get the largest share, with 35,000 square meters of new space at SM City Iloilo. The soon-to-open North Block will house National University Iloilo, the university’s first campus in Western Visayas, along with retail and wellness spaces.

The additional floor area further expands Iloilo’s commercial footprint, adding new space for retail, education, and other consumer-facing businesses in one of the country’s major regional centers.

In Santo Tomas City, Batangas, SM City Sto. Tomas will add 26,000 square meters through a new third level. The mall is the first along the highway after the South Luzon Expressway exit, positioning it to serve travelers heading south as well as communities in the surrounding area.

The expansion will bring in amusement concepts, a Trade Hall, and other establishments, adding to the city’s growing commercial base.

SM City Naga, meanwhile, will undergo a two-storey expansion covering 9,000 square meters. The additional space will accommodate more retail outlets while improving circulation within the mall.

The three projects bring a combined 70,000 square meters of additional commercial space to regional markets, highlighting the growing investment potential of cities beyond Metro Manila.

As mall operators and other developers expand their presence outside the capital, cities such as Iloilo, Naga, and Santo Tomas are gaining greater capacity to serve as commercial centers for their respective regions.

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