Yashano Mall

Yashano Mall is a four-storey shopping and commercial complex in Legazpi, Albay, Philippines. The mall opened on November 27, 2015, placing it among the notable new retail developments introduced in Legazpi during a period when the city was gaining additional modern shopping destinations. Its opening took place alongside the development of Ayala Mall Legazpi, then associated with the Liberty City Center project of LCC Malls and Ayala Land, giving local consumers more choice beyond established downtown retail establishments. The mall contains approximately 8,000 square metres of space and has been described as accommodating at least 30 stalls. Its tenant mix has included food, beverage, and general retail outlets aimed at everyday consumers. The complex introduced Figaro Coffee, a Filipino café chain that originated in Metro Manila, as one of its early commercial offerings. Bacolod's Chicken Deli subsequently opened at the mall in June 2016, adding a casual dining and quick-service food option. The mall has also been associated with the Lotus Blu Hotel, a hotel operation announced as part of the wider complex during the mall's first-anniversary period. Yashano Mall is one of HONG Enterprises' major investments in Legazpi, alongside Gregorian Mall, which opened the following year. HONG Enterprises is described as a Taiwanese family business based in Legazpi and also operates HONG Enterprises Stores, a group of branches across Albay selling relatively inexpensive Taiwanese and Filipino goods. Available reference material identifies Sheryl Hong as the enterprise's owner. The mall therefore represents an expansion from merchandise retail into a broader property, dining, hospitality, and commercial-services platform. A distinctive feature of Yashano Mall is its advertising infrastructure. The mall introduced an LED wall that was described as the first of its kind used for commercial advertising in Legazpi. The screen became part of the property's public-facing identity and offered a platform for tenant promotions and other commercial messages. In July 2016, the mall also offered free jeepney rides connecting parts of downtown Legazpi with the mall, an initiative intended to improve access and encourage visits. The project attracted controversy during construction. In February 2015, while work was still underway, Legazpi City Councilor Rolly Rosal questioned whether the development had the necessary building permit and environmental-clearance documentation. Reports focused on the absence at the site of a required billboard displaying the building-permit number and Environmental Clearance Certificate information. Rosal also criticized the city engineering office and raised concerns about construction workers allegedly lacking required protective equipment, including helmets. The allegations were reported as a construction and regulatory dispute; the mall nevertheless continued toward completion and opened in November 2015. The available reference material does not establish a final legal or administrative finding. Yashano Mall's documented role is primarily regional rather than national: it serves Legazpi and the surrounding Albay market through a combination of shopping, dining, advertising, transport-access initiatives, and hotel-related development. Publicly available reference material provides limited information about its later tenant roster, financial performance, corporate structure, and current operations.

Yashano Mall was developed in Legazpi, Albay, by HONG Enterprises, a Taiwanese family business based in the city. The enterprise was already associated with HONG Enterprises Stores, which operated branches across Albay and sold inexpensive Taiwanese and Filipino products. The mall became one of the group's largest investments, together with Gregorian Mall, which followed in 2016. Its development formed part of a broader expansion of commercial facilities in Legazpi, where the Yashano project emerged at roughly the same time as Ayala Mall Legazpi, connected with the Liberty City Center venture of LCC Malls and Ayala Land. Construction was underway by early 2015. In February of that year, Legazpi City Councilor Rolly Rosal publicly raised concerns about the project. He alleged that construction had proceeded without the appropriate building permit and questioned the absence of a required site billboard showing the building-permit number and Environmental Clearance Certificate information issued through the relevant environmental and city authorities. Rosal also criticized the city engineering office for allegedly allowing the work to continue and cited observations that some workers were not using protective equipment such as helmets. These claims created a regulatory controversy while the building was still being completed. The available reference material records the allegations but does not provide a conclusive account of any subsequent enforcement action, penalty, or court outcome. Despite the controversy, construction continued and the mall opened on November 27, 2015. The opening featured actor Gerald Anderson as the first celebrity guest. Yashano Mall was built as a four-storey complex of approximately 8,000 square metres and was reported to contain at least 30 stalls. One of its notable physical and marketing features was an LED wall used for commercial advertising. It was described as the first commercial mall in Legazpi to deploy such an LED wall, giving the property a highly visible advertising surface in the city. The mall's early tenant activity emphasized food and everyday retail. Figaro Coffee, a Filipino coffee chain that began in Metro Manila, was among the early outlets associated with the mall. In June 2016, Bacolod's Chicken Deli opened at the property, strengthening the dining component. In July of the same year, Yashano Mall offered free jeepney rides within downtown Legazpi to the mall, addressing the practical issue of access while also encouraging footfall. During the mall's first-anniversary period in November 2016, its Facebook page announced Lotus Blu Hotel, a hotel business located inside the mall complex. The announcement indicated that the project was evolving beyond conventional retail into a mixed commercial and hospitality destination. The documented history of Yashano Mall is concentrated in its launch period and first year. Reference material identifies Sheryl Hong as the owner of HONG Enterprises, but supplies little further detail about the mall's corporate governance, financing, later tenant changes, operating performance, or subsequent development. On the information available, Yashano Mall is best understood as a regional Legazpi shopping center created by a locally based family enterprise, with a value-oriented retail identity and additional food, advertising, transportation, and hotel-related functions.

• 2016

  Bacolod's Chicken Deli opens

  [1]Yashano Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The food outlet opened at Yashano Mall in June, adding to the property's dining offer.

• 2016

  Free downtown jeepney service

  [1]Yashano Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The mall offered free jeepney rides from downtown Legazpi to its premises in July.

• 2016

  Lotus Blu Hotel announced

  [1]Yashano Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The mall announced the Lotus Blu Hotel as an in-complex hospitality development around its first anniversary.

• 2015

  Construction controversy emerges

  [1]Yashano Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Councilor Rolly Rosal raised questions about alleged missing building-permit and environmental-clearance information and worker-safety practices during construction.

• 2015

  Grand opening

  [1]Yashano Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Yashano Mall opened on November 27 with Gerald Anderson as its first celebrity guest.

• 2015

  Legazpi LED advertising wall introduced

  [1]Yashano Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The mall unveiled an LED wall described as the first commercial advertising LED wall used by a mall in Legazpi.

A locally focused, value-oriented shopping and commercial complex serving Legazpi and the wider Albay area, combining affordable retail with food, advertising, transport access, and hospitality-related facilities.

• Shopping mall · 2015

  Yashano Mall retail complex

  The core offering is a four-storey shopping complex in Legazpi with approximately 8,000 square metres of space and at least 30 stalls reported in reference material. Its tenant-based model combines general retail with food, beverage, and service businesses aimed at local and regional consumers.

• Advertising infrastructure · 2015

  LED commercial advertising wall

  Yashano Mall introduced a large LED wall for commercial advertising. The feature was presented as a first for a commercial mall in Legazpi and functions as a prominent platform for tenant and mall-related promotional messages.

• Hospitality · 2016

  Lotus Blu Hotel

  Lotus Blu Hotel was announced as a hotel business located within the Yashano Mall complex during the property's first-anniversary period. The available reference does not provide detailed information about room inventory, operator structure, or later operating status.

• 2015

  Alleged construction-permit and worker-safety violations

  During construction, Councilor Rolly Rosal alleged that the project lacked properly displayed building-permit and Environmental Clearance Certificate information and criticized reported worker-safety practices. The available source does not establish a final official finding or legal outcome.

  Source

Read more

• 2016Free downtown jeepney rides

  Legazpi, Philippines

  Yashano Mall offered free jeepney transportation within downtown Legazpi to its premises, improving access and supporting customer visits.

  Outcome. The available reference confirms the initiative but does not report passenger numbers, sales impact, or its duration.

  Source

• 2016

  Expansion into hospitalityStrategy

  Background

  Following the mall's first year of operation, HONG Enterprises identified an opportunity to add hotel services within the commercial complex.

  Action taken

  The mall announced Lotus Blu Hotel as an in-complex hotel business.

  Aftermath

  The announcement broadened Yashano Mall's intended role from shopping and dining venue to a mixed retail and hospitality destination. Further operating details are not available in the reference material.

  Source

• 2015

  Launch of the Yashano Mall complexProduct launch

  Background

  HONG Enterprises expanded from its Albay retail-store operations into a large shopping and commercial property in Legazpi.

  Action taken

  The company opened the four-storey mall on November 27, 2015, with retail stalls, food outlets, and a commercial LED advertising wall.

  Aftermath

  The property became one of HONG Enterprises' major investments and added a new regional shopping destination to Legazpi.

  Source

1. 1Yashano Mallen.wikipedia.org