A student council aired concerns over the welfare of small business owners in the soon-to-open shopping center at the University of the Philippines-Diliman.
In a statement, the UP Diliman University of Student Council questioned the prime locations of commercial establishments compared to local businesses offering student services.
“Last November 15, the University Student Council had a consultation with the maninindas and small business owners with regards to the plans of the soon-to-rise DiliMall. These concerns were raised earlier in a dialogue with the student regent,” it said.
“These concerns were raised earlier in a dialogue with the student regent. Among those include the commercialization of DiliMall, where well-known commercial establishments are seen to occupy the first and second floors of the structure; meanwhile, the members of UP SCSAI providing essential services such as photocopying and printing are placed on the third floor,” the council added.
It further emphasized its position, saying: “We stand with the UP community in their fight against commercialization of our university.”
The UP SCS also uploaded a copy of the floor plans of the mall.
In the floor plans, it was shown that the first floor houses Robinsons Easy Mart, Army Navy, Tokyo Tokyo, UCC Park Café, Pancake House, Café Mary Grace and other chain stores.
On the second floor, Handyman, Robinson’s Appliances and the Philippine National Bank (PNB) also occupied a huge part of the space.
UP’s “non-food” tenants occupy parts of the second floor and most of third floor of the building.
What we know so far about DiliMall
According to a report by the Philippine Collegian, the DiliMall will be located on the site where UP’s beloved Shopping Center was razed down in March 2018.
It was being eyed as the replacement for the UP Shopping Center or the SC, an old marketplace for affordable food, books, printing services, and other supplies and novelties.
There were no reports or updates yet if the old tenants of SC will also move to the new establishment.
Criticisms
Several members of the community also criticized the construction of the new structure, saying that they do not need branches of big food chains inside the campus.
“Imagine being a state university only to limit access to basic services for your students to high cost and large standing stores,” an X user said.
“One of the things I love about UP is that you don’t have to spend too much when you go there because there are so many kiosks and small businesses offering food with student-friendly prices. nakakalungkot kasi saan na lang sila lulugar kung ganito yung competition nila?” another X user commented.
Other X users also cited students’ needs that the university should be prioritize instead of building a mall.
“I don’t get the purpose of establishing a mall inside a public university. Why not build more dormitories to cater better spaces for those studying in UP?” an X user reacted.
The Rise for Education Alliance, an alliance of individuals for free and accessible education, also criticized the construction of the Dili-Mall.
“Amidst the lack of dormitory slots, tambayans, and accessible student services, commercialization of educational spaces should NOT be the priority of the UP administration. The UP DiliMall, as seen in the floor plan, does not meet the interests of the UP community,” it said.
Amidst the lack of dormitory slots, tambayans, and accessible student services, commercialization of educational spaces should NOT be the priority of the UP administration. The UP DiliMall, as seen in the floor plan, does not meet the interests of the the UP community.
(1/5) https://t.co/QjPkPAC8JW
— Rise for Education Alliance – UP Diliman (@R4EDiliman) November 25, 2023
The group also said that small business owners were “trampled” by the “Master Development Plan.”
“Furthermore, UP maninindas, small business owners, and urban poor communities have been repeatedly trampled on by the Master Development Plan which aims to further commercialize our spaces without proper consultation efforts with students and concerned community members,” it said.