PANGLAO, BOHOL — Robinsons Supermarket has officially made its first move into Bohol, opening a new branch in Panglao as the Gokongwei-led retail group positions itself closer to one of the Philippines’ busiest tourism markets.
The new Robinsons Supermarket opened on September 4, 2026, at Bellemar Lifestyle Center in Tawala, Panglao, marking the supermarket chain’s first branch in Panglao and its first store in Bohol.
But this isn’t simply another supermarket opening.
The expansion puts Robinsons directly in a tourism-driven market where spending comes not only from households, but also from hotels, resorts, restaurants, accommodation operators and millions of visitors passing through Bohol.
ROBINSONS TARGETS MORE THAN HOUSEHOLDS
The new Panglao store offers a broad range of everyday products, including fresh produce, meat, seafood, dairy and frozen products, pantry staples, household necessities, and local and international brands.
That product mix gives the branch a customer base that goes beyond ordinary grocery shoppers.
Robinsons is also positioning the store to serve businesses operating around Panglao’s booming hospitality sector, including hotels, resorts, restaurants and transient accommodations that require regular supplies.
The strategy makes sense for a destination where tourism is increasingly intertwined with the local economy.
WHY PANGLAO?
Panglao has become one of Bohol’s most important tourism centers, known for destinations such as Alona Beach, Balicasag Island and Virgin Island, while its hospitality and commercial infrastructure continues to expand. The official Bohol tourism office lists Panglao as one of the province’s key visitor destinations.
And the numbers show why retailers are paying attention.
Bohol recorded 1,427,362 tourist arrivals in 2025, representing a 4.18% increase from 2024, according to the Philippine Information Agency citing the Bohol Provincial Tourism Office.
Foreign tourism was particularly strong, with the province reporting a 14% increase in foreign arrivals in 2025, according to Cebu Daily News.
Panglao itself also recorded substantial visitor traffic. During the first quarter of 2025, the municipality reported 191,872 partial guest arrivals, with the figure still subject to additional accommodation reports. Foreign arrivals during that period were up 7.3% from the comparable 2024 figure.
For a major supermarket operator, that’s a potentially powerful combination: local demand plus tourism-driven consumption.
THE BELLEMAR CONNECTION
The location is also significant.
Bellemar Lifestyle Center in Tawala is being developed as a mixed retail and lifestyle destination close to Panglao’s major tourism areas. Cebu Daily News reported earlier this year that the development is located minutes from Alona Beach and Panglao International Airport and was designed to complement the island’s growing tourism industry.
Robinsons Supermarket was identified as one of the development’s anticipated major additions, with the supermarket housed in the Mercado area of the complex.
The opening therefore adds another major retail anchor to a commercial development that is still expanding.
MORE THAN A GROCERY STORE
The Panglao branch is also expected to contribute to local economic activity by creating employment and opportunities for suppliers and business partners.
Robinsons Supermarket Group General Manager Kerwin Legarde said the company’s objective remains to bring “Everyday Goodness and Everyday Value” closer to more Filipino communities.
The company’s parent, Robinsons Retail Holdings Inc., operates across multiple retail categories in the Philippines. Its official corporate profile says the group had more than 2,700 stores across the Philippines plus more than 2,100 franchised TGP stores, based on its reported 2023 snapshot.
The Philippine Stock Exchange also lists Robinson’s Supermarket Corporation among Robinsons Retail’s subsidiaries and reported 2,453 stores at the end of 2024, excluding 2,115 franchised TGP stores.
That puts the Panglao opening into perspective: Bohol is now part of a much larger nationwide retail expansion strategy.
A NEW OPTION FOR BOHOL SHOPPERS
The official Bohol Provincial Tourism Office has already added Robinsons Supermarket Panglao at Bellemar Lifestyle Center to its list of shopping destinations.
The branch is open daily from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., according to Robinsons Supermarket’s announcement and reports from other outlets.
Its arrival also means Panglao shoppers now have another major supermarket option alongside existing retail establishments on the island.
But the bigger story isn’t simply about where Boholanos can buy groceries.
It is about where major retailers believe the next wave of Philippine consumer spending is coming from.
PANGLAO’S GROWING ECONOMIC STORY
Panglao’s appeal extends far beyond its beaches.
The municipality sits at the center of a tourism ecosystem involving accommodation, food and beverage, transportation, retail, recreation and local suppliers.
As visitor numbers grow, businesses serving tourists need reliable access to food, beverages, household products and other everyday supplies.
That creates an opportunity for a supermarket operator capable of serving both consumers and businesses.
And Robinsons is clearly betting that Panglao has enough economic momentum to support another major retail player.
THE BIGGER PICTURE
The opening of Robinsons Supermarket’s first Bohol branch is therefore more than a new signboard in Panglao.
It is another indication that Bohol’s tourism boom is increasingly translating into retail investment.
With more than 1.4 million tourist arrivals recorded across the province in 2025, growing international demand and continuing commercial development around Panglao, the island is becoming increasingly attractive not just to travelers—but to national retailers as well.
And Robinsons may have arrived at a particularly interesting moment.
Because if Panglao’s tourism economy keeps growing, this first supermarket may not be the last major Robinsons investment Bohol sees.
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