SM City Daet opens

By Rose B. Manlangit

SM City Daet opened its doors to residents of Camarines Norte, bringing great shopping, leisure, and entertainment to this bustling town in Bicol, just in time for Christmas.

SM Daet’s grand opening and blessing was led by Most Rev. Fr. Rex Andrew Alarcon and was graced by Camarines Norte Governor Edgardo Tallado, Daet Mayor Benito Ochoa and other local officials of the province. They were joined by SM EDD President Mr. Hans T. Sy Jr. and SM Supermalls President Steven Tan.

The mall is SM Prime Holdings’ 77th supermall, and the third in the Bicol region after SM City Naga in Camarines Sur and SM City Legaspi in Albay.

Daet, the capital of Camarines Norte, is known as the Gateway to Bicolandia. A first- class municipality, it is a famous surfing and kite-boarding destination, as it has a long stretch of beach in Bagasbas. It also serves as the jump-off point for visitors to reach the Calaguas Island.

Camarines Norte borders the Quezon province to the west, Camarines Sur to the south, and the Philippine Sea to the north.

Strategically located in a 48,590 square- meter site along Vinzons Avenue in Barangay Lag-on, SM City Daet will serve shoppers in the flourishing province of Camarines Norte, especially the nearby municipalities of Talisay, San Vicente, Mercedes, and San Lorenzo Ruiz.

The three-level 46,980 square meter mall has a bold and sophisticated façade, featuring a vivid pattern of neutral colors accented by bold blue entrances and canopies.

The front of the mall at street level is open and welcoming with large storefronts and glass entrances, and covered walkways.

All portions of the center are linked by strategically placed escalators, elevators, and stairs, ensuring easy access to any shop, restaurant, or entertainment venue a shopper may desire, bold floor patterns, vividly colored ceiling treatments, and elegant storefronts unite all levels of the mall.

MALL OPENING. Camarines Norte Gov. Edgar Tallado (3rd from left), Acting Vice-Gov. Concon Panotes (3rd from right), 2nd Dist. Rep. Marisol Panotes (4th from right), Daet Mayor Benito Ochoa (2nd from left), Vice Mayor Rosa Mia King (2nd from right), and Most Rev. Fr. Rex Andrew Alarcon (4th from left) during the ribbon cutting ceremony. They were joined by SM EDD President Mr. Hans T. Sy Jr. and SM Supermalls President Steven Tan.

Continuous clerestories and expansive curtain walls bring ample natural light into the center and supplemented by high efficiency LED lighting.

The SM Store and SM Supermarket are SM City Daet’s major anchors, along with SM Appliance, ACE Hardware, Watsons, Surplus and Miniso.

It will also have fashion boutiques, jewelry stores, as well as a Cyberzone and service and wellness centers.

Eating out options include a food court, and specialty restaurants and international and local food chains like Classic Savory, Kenny Rogers, Shakeys, Goldilocks; as well milk tea brands Macau Imperial, Gong Cha, and Infinitea. Homegrown businesses have also found their way to SM City Daet.

These include the Daet Flower shop and RA Beauty Shop; as well as restaurants Biggs, Biñan Fastfood, Cafe Morga, Kick Milk Tea, Lemon Jess, Round the Clock Cafe and Bakery, Mamita’s Pizza, Pley- Tito, Siennalo’s and Caramel Bakeshop.

SM City Daet will also have 4 digital cinemas and an amusement center for kids awaiting to serve the customers when the pandemic is over.

For customer convenience, it has an open parking that can accommodate 621 vehicles.

The mall is also adjacent to public utility vehicles and bus terminals with local trips to towns nearby.

SM Daet is seen as a catalyst for employment and business opportunities in the area. (PIA5/Camarines Norte)