SM City Dasmariñas

SM City Dasmariñas is a large-scale shopping and entertainment complex operated by SM Prime Holdings in Dasmariñas, Cavite, Philippines. The mall is situated along Governor's Drive in Sampaloc 1, close to the intersection with Aguinaldo Highway and within Dasmariñas's expanding central business district. Its location places it near major transport routes, a public transport terminal, residential communities, offices, educational institutions, and competing retail developments, allowing it to function as both a regional shopping destination and a daily-use commercial center. SM Prime Holdings acquired the approximately 12.7-hectare property in 2003. The site had previously been largely forested. The company commissioned Jose Siao Ling and Associates to design the complex. The completed development became the second SM Supermall opened in Cavite, following SM City Bacoor, and is described as the largest shopping mall in Cavite by total floor area. The complex has approximately 201,645 square meters of total gross floor area and has been identified as one of the largest facilities in the SM Supermall network. The original main building is a three-level structure with approximately 94,285 square meters of gross floor area. It contains core SM retail and service formats, including SM Department Store, SM Supermarket, SM Appliance Center, SM Foodcourt, SM Cinemas, and a range of independent tenants. The building's facade and entrances were designed with curved and thorn-like architectural elements, giving the mall a more distinctive appearance than many earlier SM Supermall designs. The mall also houses the Cavite branch of the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs, extending its role beyond conventional retail. A major expansion, known as the Annex, opened on December 12, 2011. The five-level structure added approximately 36,486 square meters of floor space and introduced more than 100 additional commercial spaces. Its lower levels accommodate retail stores and restaurants, while the third level is dedicated to Cyberzone technology retailers. The upper floors were planned for business-process-outsourcing offices, including occupancy by iQor. The expansion combined higher-end shopping and dining with office and technology uses, broadening the complex's tenant mix and weekday activity. Further improvements included refurbishment of the food court, upgrades to the cinema interiors, the addition of two cinema screens for a total of six conventional screens at that stage, and additional parking. A seven-level parking structure was subsequently developed at the rear of the complex. The building also accommodates National University Dasmariñas on its sixth and seventh floors, with additional retail and restaurant areas on lower levels. Two Director's Club cinema screens were reported to have opened on September 3, 2025, in the former Cinema 4 location. The mall has experienced serious security incidents, including a 2010 robbery involving the mall's BDO branch and a musical-instrument store, and a fatal hostage-taking and stabbing incident in 2016. In both cases, management temporarily closed or restricted operations before normal retail activity resumed or safety measures were implemented. Despite these incidents, SM City Dasmariñas remains an active regional mall anchored by SM's department-store, supermarket, appliance, food, cinema, technology, education, office, and public-service offerings.

SM City Dasmariñas developed as part of SM Prime Holdings' expansion in Cavite. The company acquired an approximately 12.7-hectare property in Dasmariñas in 2003. The land, previously described as a dense forest, was located along Governor's Drive near Aguinaldo Highway and the city's developing central business district. Its position beside major roads and near public transportation made it suitable for a regional mall intended to serve both the city and surrounding municipalities. SM Prime Holdings appointed Jose Siao Ling and Associates to design the complex. The resulting main building used a three-level format and incorporated approximately 94,285 square meters of gross floor area. Its architectural treatment, including curved-edge entrances and thorn-like facade elements, was regarded as distinctive among older SM Supermalls. The original complex brought together the standard SM anchors—department store, supermarket, appliance center, food court, cinemas, and general retail—while also incorporating other tenants and the Cavite branch of the Department of Foreign Affairs. The complex became the second SM Supermall in Cavite after SM City Bacoor. With a total gross floor area reported at approximately 201,645 square meters, it became the largest mall in the province by that measure and one of the largest developments in the SM Supermall portfolio. The mall's scale reflects the growing population, commercial activity, and transport connectivity of Dasmariñas and the broader Cavite urban corridor. The most significant early expansion was the five-level Annex, which opened on December 12, 2011. Built beside the original mall on part of the former northwest open-parking area, the Annex added about 36,486 square meters of floor space. It introduced more than 100 shops, an entrance plaza with extensive curtain glass, additional dining, and a more upscale retail mix. The third level was allocated to Cyberzone, while the upper floors provided business-process-outsourcing offices. iQor occupied the fourth and fifth floors, linking the mall to the office and service economy as well as to retail. The expansion program also involved renovation of the lower-ground-floor food court, improvements to the cinema interiors, and the construction of two additional conventional cinema screens. Parking capacity was increased through changes to the northwest and southeast portions of the site and through a separate seven-level carpark building. National University Dasmariñas occupies the sixth and seventh floors of that parking structure, while its lower floors contain additional shops and restaurants. This combination of retail, education, office, entertainment, and public-service functions made the mall a multipurpose urban complex rather than a purely transactional shopping facility. The mall has also been affected by security incidents. On September 6, 2010, five armed men robbed the BDO branch and a musical-instrument store, injuring two guards and a sales employee. The complex was closed temporarily and reopened the following day. On October 9, 2016, a hostage-taking and stabbing incident resulted in deaths and injuries before police ended the confrontation. Stores were closed afterward as a safety measure. These events are recorded as incidents associated with the mall, not as evidence of a corporate scandal. A later entertainment upgrade was reported on September 3, 2025, when two Director's Club cinemas opened in the former Cinema 4 area. The addition extended the mall's cinema offer into a premium format. SM City Dasmariñas continues to operate as an active SM Supermall serving Dasmariñas, Cavite, and nearby communities.

• 2025

  Director's Club cinemas open

  [1]SM City Dasmariñasen.wikipedia.org

  Two Director's Club cinemas were reported to have opened on September 3 in the former Cinema 4 area.

• 2016

  Hostage-taking incident

  [1]SM City Dasmariñasen.wikipedia.org

  A hostage-taking and stabbing incident on October 9 resulted in deaths and injuries, followed by a temporary closure of the mall's stores.

• 2011

  Annex opens

  [1]SM City Dasmariñasen.wikipedia.org

  The five-level Annex opened on December 12, adding approximately 36,486 square meters of space for retail, restaurants, Cyberzone, and BPO offices.

• 2010

  Robbery temporarily closes the mall

  [1]SM City Dasmariñasen.wikipedia.org

  An armed robbery at the BDO branch and a musical-instrument store injured three employees and led to a temporary closure before operations resumed the next day.

• 2003

  SM Prime Holdings acquires the Dasmariñas property

  [1]SM City Dasmariñasen.wikipedia.org

  SM Prime Holdings acquired an approximately 12.7-hectare property in Dasmariñas for development of a major shopping complex.

A large regional SM Supermall combining mass-market retail anchors, higher-end shops and restaurants, entertainment, technology retail, offices, education, parking, and public services for Dasmariñas and the wider Cavite area.

• Retail and services

  Main mall

  The original three-level building contains SM's principal department-store, grocery, appliance, food-court, and cinema formats, together with fashion, lifestyle, dining, and service tenants. It also houses the Cavite branch of the Department of Foreign Affairs, adding a public-service function to the conventional shopping-mall offer.

• Retail, dining, technology, and offices · 2011

  The Annex

  Opened in 2011, the five-level Annex added approximately 36,486 square meters of space and more than 100 commercial units. Its lower levels contain retail and restaurants, the third level is organized as Cyberzone, and the upper floors provide BPO office space. The building broadened the complex's tenant mix beyond traditional mall retail.

• Cinema and entertainment

  SM Cinemas

  The mall's cinema offer originally included conventional screens that were upgraded during the expansion and renovation program. Two additional screens were added at one stage, bringing the conventional cinema total to six. The cinema interiors were also refurbished with updated lighting and furnishings.

• Premium cinema · 2025

  Director's Club cinemas

  Two premium Director's Club cinemas were reported to have opened in September 2025 in the former Cinema 4 area. They represent a higher-end extension of the mall's film and entertainment offering.

• Parking and mixed-use facilities

  Seven-level carpark building

  The seven-level parking structure expanded vehicle capacity and also added mixed-use functions. National University Dasmariñas occupies its sixth and seventh floors, while lower levels include further stores and restaurants.

• 2025

  Introduction of Director's Club cinemasProduct launch

  Background

  The mall continued to upgrade its entertainment facilities and broaden its premium leisure offer.

  Action taken

  Two Director's Club cinemas were reported to have opened in the former Cinema 4 area on September 3, 2025.

  Aftermath

  The reported opening added a premium cinema format to the existing conventional screens.

  Source

• 2011

  Development of the AnnexStrategy

  Background

  The original complex required additional commercial, office, and technology space as Dasmariñas and the surrounding Cavite market expanded.

  Action taken

  SM Prime Holdings built a five-level Annex on the northwest side of the mall, adding retail, dining, Cyberzone, and BPO office areas.

  Aftermath

  The project increased the mall's floor area and diversified its tenant and activity mix. It was reported as the first mall expansion project of its kind for the south Luzon region.

  Source

• Construction of a mixed-use parking structureStrategy

  Background

  The complex needed additional parking and further space for commercial and institutional uses.

  Action taken

  A seven-level carpark building was developed behind the existing mall buildings, with retail and restaurants at lower levels and National University Dasmariñas on upper floors.

  Aftermath

  The structure added parking capacity while extending the site into education and additional retail uses.

  Source

1. 1SM City Dasmariñasen.wikipedia.org