Cebu malls, banks open after checking buildings

Several malls and retail chains in Cebu and most banks opened for business yesterday despite aftershocks felt a day after a 7.2 magnitude earthquake hit Cebu and theVisayas.

Operations resumed after inspections were made to check the structural stability of buildings in Ayala Center Cebu, SM City Cebu and Consolacion, Shopwise, and Metro Gaisano Colon and Lapu-Lapu branches and S&R in North Reclamation Area.

A team of engineers checked the Ayala Center and declared it “structurally safe and sound,” said Cebu Holdings Inc. corporate communications manager Jeanette Japzon.

The SM Group also inspected their two malls in Cebu City and Consolacion town.

Smaller establishments like APM Mall opened at 10 a.m. as well as Crossroads in Banilad, Cebu City.

Some remained closed yesterday like Elizabeth Mall in N. Bacalso Avenue, Pacific Mall in Mandaue City, Metro Ayala, Gaisano Countrymall and Parkmall in Mandaue City.

assess buildings

“We expect everything to settle down and get back to normal in three to four days. With all the aftershocks, people are still afraid to go to work, so even if businesses are operating, a lot of people are still absent,” said Philip N. Tan, Mandaue Chamber of Commerce and Industry president yesterday.

Property damage assessments are ongoing but most Mandaue Chamber member establishments are already operating, he said.

Tan said they encouraged everyone to check thoroughly their establishments including underground storage tanks of gasoline stations to avoid any accidents.

“We are hoping that the damage is minimal. We can never say there’s no impact on business especially in malls that will not go on regular operations yet,” said Tan.

Cebu Business Club President Gordon Alan Joseph said he let his staff off yesterday because he understood that people still don’t want to leave their homes after the quake.

Glenn Anthony Soco, Coffee Dream franchise owner, also cancelled work at his office and allowed his staff to go home.

Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry Lito Maderazo also said that most of their members are back in regular operations.

Maderazo said the chamber will meet soon to plan what help they can send to Bohol which was hardest hit by Tuesday’s earthquake.

bankers

Most banks in Cebu also resumed operations yesterday, said Cebu Bankers Club former president Prudencio Gesta.

All branches of Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. resumed operations except for the Osmeña Boulevard branch because the building is still being checked, said Gesta.

Filipino Cebuano Business Club president Rey Calooy said that most of their members who are micro, small and medium enterprise owners also resumed operations yesterday although many employees did not report for work.

No cost estimates of damage were given because assessment is still ongoing, said the businessmen.

price freeze

Nelia Navarro, Department of Trade and Industry Cebu provincial director, assured that Cebu city and province has enough supply of food and other basic commodities amid the closure of some commercial establishments.

Navarro said that a “price freeze” will be implemented while Cebu City and other parts of the province are still under a state of calamity.

state of calamity

The Cebu City Council on Tuesday declared a state of calamity in the city in order to access calamity funds for quick disaster response.

Department stores are required to keep three weeks worth of stocks while product warehouses are required to have supplies that will last at least three months.

So far, there are no reports of food hoarding, she said, even as 11 teams of commodity inspectors were fielded to visit establishments in Cebu.

“We want to make sure that no business will take advantage of the disaster,” she said.