Home
Got a Question?
Blog
Philippine Regions
About Philippines
Site Map
SiteSearch
Getting around
Getting here & away
Anilao
Baguio
Bohol
Boracay
Cebu
Cebu City
Corregidor
Manila
Manila Hotels
Manila Apartments
Puerto Galera
Subic Bay
Tagaytay
Scuba Diving
Surfing
Dating a Filipina
Golf
Retirement
Real Estate
Link Resources
Contact Us
Photo Gallery
Videos Gallery
Filipino Food
Weather
[?] Subscribe To This Site

XML RSS
Add to Google
Add to My Yahoo!
Add to My MSN
Subscribe with Bloglines

 

Mall of Asia: Disappointing

by Divina
(Virginia, USA)

We went to visit the Philippines again this year's summertime. We live in the United States and my girls just love the Philippines.

The mall of Asia is big but it is sad to say, that compared to the malls in America, the construction is poor.

It was rainy season when we were there, June-July, which is also the summertime here in America. It was raining outside the mall as well as INSIDE! The roofs have holes and water was dropping on the customers' shoulders.

It is a shame.

I loved the cinema also, but the deluxe part, which is down a level is not being used because it is too low and people are all getting the premier seats. Again, this is the downside. Theater seats should be elevated and that barrier wall should be removed so all seats could be occupied. It is a waste of space because people don't sit in that part of the theatre.

The ice skating rink is big but is as big as the rink where my girls study figure skating here in the US. When they skated, they said the ice was so rough and I noticed that there is no cleaner or the zamboni to clean the surface of the ice.

You see, when people skate, the ice becomes rough and should be cleaned by a zamboni to smoothen the ice again.

These are the downfalls I see here.

The people are always nice and respectful, something you do not see here in America. I was born and raised in the Philippines and so I bring my children there once in a while to see the culture and the environment and the people.

Aside from that, I love the place.

Comments for
Mall of Asia: Disappointing

Average Rating starstarstarstarstar

Click here to add your own comments

Jun 04, 2010
Rating
starstarstarstarstar
Constructive Criticism?!?
by: Anonymous

@ Divina

You gotta be kidding me! When you start comparing MOA or any other malls in Manila to our Tyson's Corner or Pentagon City Mall....that's not even close to being constructive....because chances are that very few people have happened to visit this site...have no clue to which shopping mall you're comparing MOA to. Please do us all a favor and go someplace else for you next vacation.

Mar 07, 2010
Rating
starstarstarstarstar
Looking forward to see and experience MOA
by: Anonymous

Very proud that Pinas has MOA as a third world country. As I scan and roll over the places of MOA, I have noticed that it looks very clean and presentable. Yes there is always little things that has something wrong but that's normal and we will learn to fix and mend them. So far this mall is spectacular. Congratulation ika nga ni April sa Wowwowee. Mabuhay ang Pinas.

Jan 21, 2010
Rating
starstarstarstarstar
Nice!
by: dzeydzey

@grace- Nice to know that some Pinoys still appreciate being Filipino. :) If you're coming over in March, good for you. There are more malls to visit like Ayala's TriNoma, SM NorthEdsa, Serendra, and the list goes on. :)


Jan 21, 2010
Rating
starstarstarstarstar
I hope not !! and i dont think so!!
by: grace

Comments from PHILAM's are funny ...been living in the USA for almost 10 years and i have not seen mall of asia yet..... Lived in NYC for about a year lived on San Francisco a year and visted most part of texas and florida.. I was in the Military so i have been all over the US.. BUT I HAVE NOT SEEN A MALL in the US that is even bigger than MEGA MALL in the philippines if mall of asia is bigger than MEGA MALL then WOW... and malls here are so quiet... theres a lot of big shopping outlets but thats it... mas masarap mag shopping at kumain sa food court na maraming tao.. it makes you feel ALIVE.. Im coming home this march and I want to see MALL OF ASIA :) Im so excited!! I Love being AMERICAN and I am also proud of my PINOY HERITAGE GOOD or BAD :)

Sep 04, 2009
Rating
starstarstarstarstar
comparing manila to us
by: Anonymous

The person who compares everything to the US must mean he has never been to other country (why don't he himself visit different countries and cultures so that his mind is not just set on what America could give)...why are you disappointed?

I've been to other places and Manila is still beautiful and industrialized compared to other places....try to go to other places and learn more before you give a negative comment, which is not nice and truly not polite.

Jan 31, 2009
Rating
starstarstarstarstar
whoever said MOA is disappointing
by: Anonymous

Anyway, all I can say is no matter how clean, dirty, big, small disappointing or not, lovely or disgusting a place is, I still go for Philippines...

I love this place...eh kasi naman ang pinoy pag nakapag abroad lang esp sa US akala mo na kung sinong makapagpintas ng Pilipinas eh kung tuus-tuusin eh galing din cya ng Pinas...

There's no such good thing as comparing one place to another...

Oct 15, 2008
Rating
starstarstarstarstar
my two cents
by: dzeydzey

A few months after it opened, its construction was hit time and again by criticism. Kesyo di daw matibay, di daw tatagal. But the mall persisted.

I've seen MOA at its worst, that was during the typhoons Milenyo and Frank when everything was literally falling apart. The roofing all but caved in and some parts were even blown away by the strong wind brought by the typhoon. But still MOA survived. I'd like to think of the mall as a testament to the PInoy spirit- batuhin mo man, babangon at babangon pa din.

I've never been to the US nor have I been anywhere outside of Asia but all I can say is that, the Mall of Asia is an infrastructure that a Filipino can be proud of. I think the people here were just surprised when you compared MOA to malls in the US dahil magkaibang bansa ang pinaguusapan dito. To put it bluntly, it's illogical to compare a third world community to an industrially developed and established country. For the Philippines to have a mall like MOA, that in itself is an achievement. Para magkaroon ng isang ice skating rink sa isang tropical country, isa na namang plus point un. The rink in MOA is a standard Olympic sized rink, so malamang, your kids would say that it's no different from the rinks that they skate on back in the States. And they do have a Zamboni to clean the ice. Every SM rink has one. They just don't use it as often as you're probably used to dahil hindi naman ganun kadami ang nagskskate sa rink. You probably didn't see it because it's kept inside a closed shed while it's not being used.

I see your point in saying na dapat maging open minded ang Pinoy para umunlad. Pero sana, maging reasonable din ung mga Pinoy na nangingibang bansa sa pagbibigay ng kumento at kurokuro. I just couldn't help but wonder why foreigners find the mall impressive when our supposed kababayans find it lacking...yes, it does have its weak points pero mas nangingibabaw pa rin yung idea na Pinoy or should I say Tsinoy ang gumawa nito. :)

Aug 11, 2008
Rating
starstarstarstarstar
Response
by: Divina

I don't really understand your point. My view is not called COLONIAL MENTALITY, YOU KNOW WHAT IT IS CALLED? CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM.

What is wrong with improving the Philippines and you should look around, you are already affected by colonial mentality or else YOU WILL NOT BE WEARING JEANS AND SHIRTS INFLUENCED BY THE WESTERN PEOPLE BUT INSTEAD WEAR A BARONG TAGALOG EVERY SINGLE FREAKING DAY!!

If Philippines will like to improve well, at least do the best di ba? World class na lang din so compare it to the world class.

People like you are narrow minded kaya hindi na umasenso ang Pilipinas. :))

Note: Let's keep this on track please, we are discussing the Mall of Asia. Thank you - Web owner.

Aug 10, 2008
Rating
starstarstarstarstar
RE: Mall of Asia: Disappointing
by: eric

I hate to read comments comparing philippines or facilities here in our country to other countries especially U.S. because we are just showing the world our colonial mentality.Instead of fully appreciating what we achieve and what we have in the philippines.

For me, I still love all the things and places here, no matter how small or big. I've been to other countries an seen much more compared what we have locally but, no place like home.

Aug 08, 2008
Rating
starstarstarstarstar
Thanks
by: firefox

Thanks for the mini review. I guess just like Asia, there are some infrastructure problems in some of its areas.

Submitted this to http://www.philippinesnewsvote.com/

Hopefully, people won't go there when it rains!

Aug 19, 2009
Rating
starstarstar
Mall of Asia: Not disappointing
by: Anonymous

i think mall of asia is something filipinos should be very proud of. if one should criticize it contstructively, just say it plain and straight. one should give suggestions for improvement rather than comparing it bluntly with malls from the first world countries. there's no justice in that.

Sep 21, 2008
Rating
star
whatever yaya!!
by: Anonymous

I believe you understand what building gap is? Most of the leaks came from it, as I noticed, since the mall is composed of four buildings. I was at Mall of Asia also when it was raining...

Click here to add your own comments

Join in and write your own page! It's easy to do. How?
Simply click here to return to shopping


footer for Philippines travel guide page