Laoag: More jobs have become available to Ilocos Norte residents as property developer SM Prime Holdings Inc. officially opened its first shopping mall in the province on Friday.

According to Philippines News Agency, with around 4,000 local jobs available across various sectors, including retail, operations, and support services, outgoing Mayor Michael Keon said the opening of SM City Laoag signals the beginning of a new and promising chapter in the city's development.

'This landmark establishment brings with us thousands of job opportunities for our kailians (constituents), boosts our local economy, energizes our tourism sector, supports homegrown businesses, and strengthens Laoag's emerging role as a commercial and lifestyle destination in Northern Luzon,' Keon, who led the opening ceremony, said in a statement.

Lenny Alejandro, a utility worker of the mall, expressed her gratitude for the opportunity to work for a big company without having to travel far from her home. "I feel so lucky and blessed I got this job," she said in an interview. "I no longer need to go far to work."

In an earlier media interview, SM Supermalls president Steven Tan stated the company is planning to hire 80 percent of the new mall's workforce from the province, as they want to forge a long-term partnership with Ilocanos.

SM City Laoag is strategically located along Airport Road, close to the city center and the Laoag International Airport, and is also near commercial areas and residential developments. The mall, which has three levels and more than 51,000 square meters of space for shops, has about 90 percent of its space already leased.