UNIQLO tailors PH store network to where Filipinos shop

Insider Spotlight

• New stores are coming to Zamboanga, NAIA Terminal 3 and Nuvali
• Bigger formats deepen UNIQLO’s presence in established markets
• Zamboanga brings UNIQLO PH’s first Modest Wear line, including hijabs
  
  
  

UNIQLO is tailoring its Philippine store network to where different pockets of consumer demand are emerging, pairing new locations with bigger existing stores as it seeks to deepen its presence across urban, travel and residential markets.

The Japanese apparel retailer is adding stores in Zamboanga, NAIA Terminal 3 and SM City Nuvali for Fall/Winter 2026, while expanding or refreshing locations in Marikina, Cabanatuan, Cebu and General Santos.

Why it matters

Rather than relying on a single store format, UNIQLO is spreading its physical retail presence across different shopping environments—from major regional cities to the country’s main international gateway and a growing South Luzon community.

UNIQLO SM City Zamboanga is scheduled to open Sept. 25 as the retailer’s eighth store in Mindanao. The branch will also be the first UNIQLO store in the Philippines to carry its women’s Modest Wear collection, including the AIRism UV Protection Hijab.

The local angle

The Zamboanga assortment signals an effort to adapt merchandise to the needs of different communities rather than simply replicating the same retail proposition across locations.

In November, UNIQLO will add a store inside NAIA Terminal 3’s departure area, putting the retailer directly in the path of international travelers. Its SM City Nuvali location, meanwhile, extends its presence in South Luzon.

The moves are aimed at making its LifeWear products more accessible while responding to different everyday needs, according to a company release.

Beyond new stores 

UNIQLO is also putting more space and technology into established locations. SM City Marikina and SM City Cabanatuan will get expanded retail areas, with Cabanatuan also adding self-checkout counters.

SM City Cebu will be transformed from a one-floor standard store into a two-level large-format branch, giving the retailer more room for a wider merchandise selection.

In Mindanao, UNIQLO is also set to reopen its SM City General Santos store as the community continues its recovery following the magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck the region in June.

What to watch 

The combination of new locations, larger formats and more localized merchandise points to UNIQLO’s next phase of Philippine growth: not simply adding stores, but shaping its network around where customers are and what different markets need. —Princess Daisy C. Ominga| Ed: Corrie S. Narisma