Marikina Manolobile

The photo above by Romeo Ranoco appeared in the November 12, 2004 online edition of the Chandigarh, India Tribune.

The caption read, "A Filipino makes a turn while testing a 1,000 cc Japanese motor cycle made into a giant ladies shoe at a busy street of Marikina city, east of Manila, on Thursday. The city government spent 91,000 pesos ($1,600) to build the galvanised iron shoe to promote Marikina's main shoe-making industry that has slackened due to cheap shoes imported from China."

Years passed.

This past Thursday, March 22, 2007, on the contents page of my LIFE magazine supplement to USA Today, that very same picture, this time blown up to occupy nearly two-thirds of the page, was named "Picture of the Week."

Better late than never.

The LIFE caption read, "Having lost their well-heeled first lady several years back following an international scandal that was famous for its footwear footnote, Filiponos have turned to a more pedestrian mascot to promote their flagging shoe industry. Officials in the city of Marikina, tired of being stomped by inexpensive Chinese imports, cobbled together $1,600 (not an awful lot more than what Imelda Marcos probably paid for a pair of Ferragamos) to fashion this fuchsia pump out of a street bike and a lot of galvanized iron. The Manolobile now scoots around the streets of Marikina doing what any good stiletto does: adding a little stature and making heads turn."

Got a 2004 stiletto I wear with my hoodie
It's hot, very fuchsia not an oldie but a goodie

Bonus: my crack research team got out the atomic force microscope and deciphered the writing on the sign between the shoe's heel and sole — it reads:

City of Marikina

Motorized Cycle Footwear

WORK HARD
WORK WELL
WORK TOGETHER

ANOTHER PROJECT OF
ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
MOTORPOOL SECTION