SM Supermalls is investing P1 billion to build multi-sport facilities and active social hubs across the Philippines, reinforcing its bid to make active lifestyles more accessible to Filipinos. The company said the new venues will serve as additional spaces where communities can play, compete, connect, and embrace more active lifestyles.

The mall operator currently runs what is the country's largest mall-based sports and active lifestyle network, with 108 pickleball courts, 176 bowling lanes, and three Olympic-sized ice skating rinks, along with expanding jogging paths and more developments underway. The fresh outlay extends that footprint in a country where malls have long doubled as community gathering places, placing sports infrastructure inside venues many Filipinos already visit for shopping, dining, and errands.

“More and more Filipinos are shifting to an active lifestyle. The SM Supermalls will be at the forefront and will lead this movement. We will make fitness and wellness be accessible and inclusive to all, whether you are just starting out or an advanced athlete. We will build the largest community in our malls where everyone can make active living part of everyday life,” said Steven T. Tan, president of SM Supermalls.

Tournament-grade facilities

The new active hubs will feature tournament-grade sports facilities that meet international standards, designed to accommodate both recreational play and high-level tournaments. Enthusiasts and experienced players will be able to choose from a variety of sports programs and share their passion for play, health, and wellness, according to the company.

Pickleball, which accounts 108 of the network's courts, has surged in popularity in the Philippines and worldwide in recent years, giving the existing footprint a foundation the new buildout can extend.

Spread across the country, the facilities are intended to bring Filipinos closer to quality sports infrastructure where they can build new memories within a thriving, active community.

Three decades of sports programming

The P1-billion investment is the mall operator's latest sports and recreation initiative. Since the 1990s, SM Supermalls has built venues and hosted events to encourage active lifestyles, organizing workshops and tournaments for all ages and skill levels in its quest to make fitness inclusive for all.

The project strengthens SM Supermalls' position as the Philippines' largest mall-based sports and active lifestyle network. Its existing courts, lanes, and rinks serve as venues where professional athletes perfect their craft and enthusiasts pursue their sports hobbies.

“Active and wellness is not new to SM Supermalls. For over 30 years, we have continuously organized events and created spaces for Filipinos to stay connected through sports. We will continue this pledge by expanding our footprint to more communities,” Tan said.

Every year, thousands of athletes, families, and barkadas — close-knit groups of friends — head to SM Supermalls' active facilities to hone their skills and passions. Through regular training and mall-led events, participants build skills, forge new connections, and become part of a community that stays active together, the company said.

As it moves forward, SM Supermalls said it will continue to partner with the Filipino active community in championing active lifestyles, aiming to empower more communities to engage in new experiences and reach their wellness goals. The company has not yet specified which malls will host the new hubs, when construction will begin, or when the first facilities will open — details to watch as the P1-billion buildout takes shape.