ON THE ROAD WITH SM

My Story, My SM” takes us on the road once again with inspiring stories from Luzon. And after visits up north, to the Central Plains of Luzon, and provinces of Cavite and Rizal, we take a longer route to the provinces of Pangasinan, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija and Camarines Sur.

These are stories from customers, business partners, and prominent personalities from cities where SM has malls and serves the community. Along with their stories, we will get to know more about our country’s rich history, diverse culture, and its many talented and inspiring people who have brought much honor to the Philippines.

Our first stop takes us to Rosales, Pangasinan, a junction town for travelers to different parts of the province, and to northern Luzon. Although originally an agricultural town, it is now considered at the crossroads of urbanization. Now the site of an SM mall, its economy is considered one of the best in Pangasinan.

Here, we are privileged to meet National Artist F. Sionil José, the most widely read Filipino writer in the English language whose novels and stories have been translated into 28 languages.

José looms large in the global literary scene, and what is considered his greatest work is the five-volume “Rosales Saga,” which is an ode to his hometown. “The Rosales Saga” — Po-on, The Pretenders, My Brother My Executioner, Mass and Tree — covers one hundred years of Philippine history, from the execution of the three priests Gomez, Burgos and Zamora in 1872 to the declaration of martial law in 1972. Beyond being a master storyteller, José actively participates in cultural initiatives including those of SM.

We will then proceed to Tarlac, the most multicultural of Central Luzon provinces with four distinct groups — the Kapampangans, Ilocanos, Pangasinenses and Tagalogs — who share life in the province.

Every March, the province of Tarlac celebrates the Kanlungan ng Lahi Festival, which showcases its diverse cultures and traditions through beauty contests, food festivals, sports fests, a national painting contest and a Grand Parade. This festival was initiated by the province’s very own Governor Susan A. Yap, who is working to make Tarlac an economically sound and peaceful province with SM as a partner in providing economic opportunities and crafting cultural programs.

Our journey then takes us to Nueva Ecija, the largest province in Central Luzon and the Rice Bowl of the Philippines. With the influx of migrants from the Ilocos Region and Pampanga, Nueva Ecija has become a melting pot of cultures and traditions that make Novo Ecijanos unique.

The urbanization of the province has given Novo Ecijanos more opportunities to be productive. These opportunities prompted Herminio and Edna Gonzales to start Edna’s Cakeland, which is today considered the premier homegrown bakeshop in Nueva Ecija. We will meet their daughter Anna Margarita Gonzales, Edna’s Cakeland CEO, who will share with us how the family business continues to grow with locations in SM Megacenter Cabanatuan and soon SM City Cabanatuan.

This week’s journey makes a final stop in Naga City in Camarines Sur. As one of the first Spanish settlements in the 15th century, Naga City has a rich historical and religious tradition, as seen in its churches and the Peñafrancia Festival. Today, Naga is known as the “Heart of Bicol,” and is the commercial, financial, educational, religious and cultural center of the Bicol region.

We will meet Carlo Buenaflor, CEO of Bigg’s, Inc. and Honorary Consul of Spain for Bicol. A second-generation entrepreneur, he came back after years of study and working abroad to help in the family business and to grow Bigg’s Diner from a homegrown to a national brand. One of the steps he has taken is to locate in SM malls, the first being in SM City Naga when the mall opened in 2009.

National Artist F. Sionil José, Governor Susan, Anna Margarita and Carlo join in SM’s 60th anniversary celebrations by sharing their inspiring stories in the “My Story, My SM” series featuring 60 lives touched by 60 years of SM. With its roots in retailing, SM has over the years become part of the lives of millions of Filipinos — customers, business partners, employees — each with a wonderful story to tell.

Discover more about their inspiring stories at the My Story, My SM microsite at https:// mystorymysm.com and get a glimpse of National Artist F. Sionil José’s musings on the written word; how the Yap family has actively participated in making the Monasterio de Tarlac a pilgrimage center; and how Anna Margarita and Carlo are transforming their families’ businesses from homegrown to national brands at https://www.youtube.com/MyStoryMySM.

Anna Margarita Gonzales: “We are happy opening our bakeshop in SM because it gives us the opportunity to serve Novo Ecijanos by giving them the best place to eat and relax; as well as giving them special choices of sweet pasalubong for family and friends.”

Carlo Buenaflor: “SM City Naga has really changed the personality of our city. We became more modern, more sophisticated, because new brands were introduced to us. It was really a big game changer for Bicol.”

Governor Susan Yap: “Malling in SM is an exhilarating experience. My family certainly enjoys shopping, dining and watching movies in SM together. It’s our way of bonding during my free time.”

National Artist F. Sionil José: “Just as it has become a center for shopping, I hope SM will also become a center for cultural and community events, not only in Rosales, but also the rest of the Philippines.”