The Stories Behind the Crafts / The Makers
By Garnela Sison | December 12, 2025
Edited by Trinity Torres | March 22, 2026
Marilen Tolentino of MITZ Footwear
Liliw’s name has long been tied to its slippers. Durable, handmade, and built from decades of craftsmanship passed down through generations. The rows of stores along Gat Tayaw reflect not just an industry, but a community shaped by making. Yet behind the displays are the people who have sustained this identity, each with their own story of how the craft continues, and how it’s changing.
As Liliw changes, so do the challenges for its makers. Fewer tourists, online shopping popping off, and more competition have started to shake up the scene they used to know. In this feature, we bring together their voices. That when put together, gives a clear picture of what Liliw’s slipper world looks like today.
“Gusto nila ang Liliw-made kasi matibay ang mga gawa dito.”
After forty years in the slipper-making business, Eunice Coligado of NessC Footwear has seen how this simple truth shaped Liliw’s identity. For her, the strength of Liliw-made slippers lies in their durability. Which is something customers have come to expect over time. But she also notes how this trust can be affected negatively, especially when products made outside Liliw are sold within the town. For some buyers, a single bad experience is enough to blur that trust and reputation
that Liliw’s slippers hold.
There are times when customers fill the stores, especially during holidays, and times when sales slow as people focus on other priorities. These shifts have become part of the routine she has learned to work around, rather than against, after decades in the industry.
“Hindi namin pwedeng ibenta ng kapares (price) ng dati kasi nga marami nang mga factory ng materials na nag close so yung mga nag open iba na yung price so talagang affected kami.”
But durability alone isn’t the only challenge for Liliw’s makers today. For the owner of the almost two decades old Megansco Footwear, Julieta Viscar, sourcing materials has become a struggle in the wake of the pandemic and shifting supply chains. The rising cost of leather, soles, and threads has reshaped the way Julieta goes about running Megansco. Even with prices doubling over the years, Julieta is committed to maintain the same durability her customers expect. Each slipper sold carries the result of careful selection and persistence.
Their slippers’ lasting quality is tied directly to these materials. Julieta’s work reminds customers that true Liliw-made slippers are built from the foundation up. Many return after years, often commenting on how the slippers “hindi pa nasisira”, prove that the combination of careful material selection and hands-on craftsmanship creates products that endure.
“‘Di natin maiiwasan yung nag-cocopy ng mga designs ng ibang stores… Tapos binebenta nila in much lesser price.”
Competing against copied designs has been a test of both creativity and patience for every craft business owner out there. Mai Arjuna of Josmar Footwear is not a stranger to replication of her own designs sold at lower prices. But what makes her cut above these replicas is focusing on elements that can’t be copied even by a fine-tuned machine: material quality, careful stitching, and the unique touches added to every slipper. These details take a handful of time and care (literally and figuratively), but they are what make Josmar’s products truly Liliw-made.
Quality House Slipers from Megansco Footwear
Despite this, Mai feels a deep sense of pride in her products. Each customer who notices the difference between a copied design and an authentic Liliw slipper reinforces her commitment to the work. To her, the value of the craft is not in competing on price but in the appreciation of every buyer who walks into her store, knowing they are taking home something genuine.
“Mas doon ka nakikilala—kapag nakikita nila yung uniqueness ng product.”
Meanwhile, some makers focus on customer connections. For Marilen Tolentino of MITZ Footwear and Bags, recognition comes from being seen up close. As the woman that runs the family business, Marilen values the day-to-day walk-in encounters in her store, where customers can experience the quality and distinct design of each pair firsthand. It is in these moments that her work speaks for itself. Something she feels cannot be fully translated online. A lot of the business owners in Liliw would also share this same sentiment.
Having inherited the business from her parents, she continues to build on its legacy through her own specialty leather designs. These footwear have also made it to a bigger platform, even at the height of the pandemic, when MITZ partnered with Aztrid Philippines as their supplier. At that time, being the supplier for a big brand was definitely a step up for Marilen and MITZ. But of course, nothing beats getting to actually buy their products in the actual store and getting a good feel of the quality they offer. Not to
mention you also get to have the full Liliw experience when you visit their stores. In a time where visibility often comes from digital online platforms, her story highlights a presence grounded in the physical, where craft is understood through touch, detail, and experience.
“Unlike before noong 1960s more on slippers lang ang Liliw… so as time (went by) nag-aadapt na rin kung ano yung demand ng mga tao.”
Looking at the bigger picture, Cheryl Hombrebueno of Progressive Footwear reflects on decades of evolution and adaptation in Liliw slippers. Having witnessed the way Liliw’s offerings have changed over the past decades. The Liliw slipper industry started with simple, functional house slippers, but as tastes and trends shifted,
she gradually expanded her offerings to include sandals, espadrilles, and other modern designs. Each adjustment reflects careful observation of what buyers want, ensuring that the store stays relevant in a changing market.
For Cheryl, relevance does not mean abandoning tradition. By blending adaptation with continuity, she keeps the craft alive while making sure that Liliw slippers remain a meaningful and trusted product for anyone who walks through the doors of her store.
Liliw slippers aren’t just footwear, they’re proof of grit, skill, and love for the craft. Eunice, Julieta, Mai, Marilen, and Cheryl show just a slice of it, and there are plenty more makers keeping the local industry alive. From durability on lock, to handling tough materials and copycats, to showing why touch matters, to leveling up designs over decades, these makers keep it real. Every pair that leaves their stores carries Liliw’s story. Full of quality, heart, and a legacy that won’t quit, just like the people behind them.