MANILA, Philippines — Metro Manila Development Authority chairman Benhur Abalos on Monday said malls in the capital region have agreed to extend their operating hours in time for the holiday season.
"Last week, we spoke to mall operators...all of them, to ask that instead of [operating] from 10 [a.m.] to 8 [p.m.], they make it 11 [a.m.] to 11 [.pm.] or even 12 [p.m.] at that," Abalos told DZMM Teleradyo in an interview conducted partially in Filipino.
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Abalos said the mall operators also agreed to stop having sales during ordinary weekdays and to have them on the weekends instead. He said this was to further prevent traffic on EDSA which has been seeing an increase in the volume of vehicles nearing pre-pandemic levels.
Mall owners raised, however, their concern for workers who might struggle to return home if they extend operating hours despite the limited capacity for public transport and curfew in the region which is implemented from 12 a.m. to 4 a.m.
Abalos said the first concern was already addressed by the pandemic task force which recently allowed public utility vehicles to increase their passenger capacity to 70%.
Meanwhile, the further easing of curfew hours is up to Metro Manila mayors who are already voting on the matter.
"After they vote, I have to draft the resolution. And then, they will have to sign it, by e-signature, each of them." Abalos said.
He added that the final resolution would be out in "about one or two days." — Bella Perez-Rubio