Republika.

I didn't notice it until yesterday.  There it was, at SM Megamall.  Kids of all sizes, adults of all classes - milling around the section that looked like a mini-perya.

At the centre were some carnival rides; then there was a unit full of game consoles, reminiscent of the 80's craze.

I saw a young Dad seated by one game machine taking a break from playing and bottle feeding his infant.  There was a Lola seated by the stairway step, just staring at passing people, maybe waiting for his apo to finish playing.  There were hundreds of parents chaperoning their kids, giving them fun at the indoor "mini carnival."

The way SM is developing its malls is akin to building a nation. Or is it, SM is building its stores so rapidly that this Republic will look like an SM nation?

In the U.S., Walmart is SM.  The corporate strategy is to build stores in a site where there are clusters of little towns, or cities.  Wherever Walmart builds, the little merchandisers in the so-called downtown always protest because they know that Walmart would ultimately lead to their demise.

Their worry has been proven time and time again to be true. 

I don't have anything against SM; in fact I'm a regular maller there.

I'm amazed, in fact, how the store has changed the way people shop.  Now, people go to the mall not just to buy but to live.

The SM big malls could be a small town in itself.  How?

There's a parish inside the SM. There are rows and rows of restaurants and diners.  There's NBI and LTO offices.  There are doctors, dermatologists, cosmetic surgeons.  There are beauty parlors and spas.  There are bakeries.  Of course, the SM supermakert and department store are there.  Travel agencies, a whole section of computer and computer stuff stores. There are movie houses, skating rink, a "plaza," art stores/museum, library-looking book stores, and park-like ambience where people sit at benches whiling away time, meeting with friends, picnic-ing.

SM has its own police force of security guards who man traffic, the gates, the "republic."

With such mini-city components,  SM should have its own charter, and elect its own barangay. Of course, this would spell trouble.

I am reminded of the GOCCs which have their own charters, and thus, their own abuses. 

Private entities can do what they want to do with their property, run these the way they want to run them - and spend and earn from such.  GOCCs, financed by taxpayers, should be monitored and made to toe the line.