SM City Laoag is a shopping mall located in Airport Road, Laoag, Philippines. It is the fourth SM Supermall and the largest in the Ilocos Region, the first in the province of Ilocos Norte, and the 88th in the Philippines. It is owned and operated by SM Prime Holdings. It has a total retail area of 51,000 square meters (12.60 acres and 5.1 ha), a total gross floor area of 113,000 square meters (1,220,000 sq feet).
Media reports and social media posts about the proposed mall began circulating around 2010. In 2014, the project was publicly announced, with partial payments made to landowners.
Additionally, SM Prime began scouting the area shortly after the opening of Robinsons Ilocos, which opened in late 2009.
Construction
Site clearing and the installment of blue fences, began on June 19, 2023, and construction began at the end of 2023. The mall was originally supposed to open on October 25, 2024, but was delayed for an unknown reason; however, tropical cyclones likely played a role. It was also supposed to open by Christmas 2024, but was again delayed without any stated reason.[1]
The mall officially opened on May 30, 2025, following its soft opening and blessing on May 29, 2025, when most stores and services were already operational. During the soft opening, several establishments held their own inauguration ceremonies and programs.[2][3]
Mall features
Mall atrium
SM Prime Holdings envisioned the 3-level mall as a new lifestyle landmark in the city. It features a biophilic design with indoor trees, and has three tall atriums for vertical expansion. The mall features three floors of retail spaces, a roof-deck parking area, and a transport terminal. SM Supermalls previously described the Laoag mall as being inspired by the city’s “coastal desert.”[4]
“Festive Ilocos’ first supermall inspired by Laoag’s coastal desert, this mall celebrates local heritage and culture.” was stated on the SM Supermalls website.[5]
SM City Laoag houses SM's anchor tenants, including SM Supermarket, SM Store, SM Cinema, and SM Appliance.
Located in the north wing is Dap-Ayan Park, a small recreational area that includes a paw park, playground, rock tower art, and decorative pinwheels. Sky Ranch remains in the planning stages. However, its construction has not been confirmed by SM themselves, but it is still possible.[6] Additionally, the mall features a prominent LED billboard positioned at its front façade.
Dap-Ayan Park
Starbucks was the first store to open in the mall, on April 30, 2025, a month ahead of the mall's opening. J.CO Donuts & Coffee followed suit with an opening on May 24, 2025.[7]
Other stores and services commonly found in SM malls—such as Burger King, Dairy Queen, and Krispy Kreme—were initially planned to open in the mall. However, these three establishments ultimately did not open, and several retail spaces remain vacant. While their opening now appears unlikely, the possibility has not been entirely ruled out. Notably, a soon-to-open Dairy Queen branch at Robinsons Ilocos had already begun mass hiring on August 16–17.
A number of stores and services opened ahead of the mall's grand opening as well, offering free items such as food to visitors.[3]
Parking
The mall offers over 1,300 parking slots across three parking areas: the largest is the rooftop parking lot, followed by the west wing lot, and the smallest, the east wing lot. When these parking areas reach full capacity, especially when the mall first opened, or other special occasions, vehicles often resort to on-street parking along the mall’s internal roads, made possible by their considerable width. However, mall guards will sometimes restrict on-street parking depending on traffic volume.
Food Court
The food court at SM City Laoag is designed to offer a diverse and culturally inspired dining experience. Located at the second level, it features a biophilic design with diverse culinary options. The food court incorporates curvilinear design elements that mimic the natural contours of the nearby La Paz Sand Dunes, a significant local landmark. This design approach creates a fluid and organic ambiance within the dining area.[8]
Cinemas
SM City Laoag hosts four regular cinemas and two Director's Club cinemas with plush leather recliner seats, an exclusive food menu, and in-house butler service. The Director's Club uses Dolby Atmos for the cinema's sound systems.[9]
Concerns and incidents
May 29-30, 2025: Several issues were noted both before and during the mall’s opening—such as traffic congestion beginning at Rodolfo G. Fariñas, Jr. Bypass Road near the Ilocos Migrants' Monument, which would normally be a four minute drive to the mall, but instead took over 20 minutes, according to several netizens, as well as minor leakage in the SM Store area caused by heavy rainfall, according to reviews of the mall online. Luckily, these two issues have been resolved over time. Additionally, another online reviewer noted that when the mall had just opened, traffic management was poorly organized and chaotic. Vehicles were not permitted to exit toward Gilbert Bridge and were instead directed to Airport Road, leading to the Rodolfo G. Fariñas, Jr. Bypass Road.
June 2025: Regarding traffic congestion, an access road from Gilbert Bridge to the mall had been planned, with construction commencing shortly after the mall’s opening. However, this project sparked controversy, as the road was built at a time when traffic volume was relatively low.
September 4, 2025: Two establishments in the mall—Starbucks and Mesa, temporarily closed, possibly due to drainage issues. According to a forum user, workers were seen mopping the floors during the incident.
May 30, 2025: The mall’s sky fest event was postponed to May 31, 2025 due to inclement weather conditions. It featured a kite show, mini hot air balloons, and a grand firework show.
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