People while their time at a big shopping mall in Quezon City on Saturday, November 6, 2021. The government’s pandemic task force has placed the entire Metro Manila under COVID-19 Alert Level 2 since November 5. INQUIRER.net/Katherine G. Adraneda
MANILA, Philippines — Mall operating hours in the National Capital Region (NCR) will be extended starting November 15, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) said on Saturday.
In an advisory, the MMDA announced that operating hours for shopping malls in Metro Manila will be from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
“11am – 11pm na ang mall operating hours kada weekdays para makatulong na mapagaan ang daloy ng trapiko ngayong papalapit na ang Christmas season,” MMDA said in a Facebook post.
(Mall operating hours are now from 11 am to 11 pm every weekday to help ease the flow of traffic as the Christmas season nears.)
The MMDA however clarified that mall sales during weekends and holidays will be limited.
“Limitado rin ang pagsasagawa ng mall sale tuwing weekend at holidays,” it added.
(The mall sales are also limited every weekend and on holidays.)
MMDA chairman Benhur Abalos, in a phone interview with INQUIRER.net, clarified that malls could open earlier during weekdays.
“But yung ordinary days na weekdays, Monday to Friday, pwede silang magbukas sa supermarket nang mas maaga, and those restaurants outside the malls serving breakfast,” Abalos said on Saturday.
(On ordinary days from Monday to Friday, they could open the supermarkets much earlier, and those restaurants outside the malls serving breakfast.)
Abalos also said that it’s up to mall operators to set their operating hours on weekends.
“Usually kasi ang in a-avoid natin yung ordinary day, ‘yung Monday to Friday. So sa Saturday or Sunday, it’s up to them,” he added.
(Usually, we avoid the ordinary days, from Monday to Friday. So on Saturdays and Sundays, it’s up to them.)
Malls in Metro Manila usually open at 10 a.m. and close at 9 p.m., according to Abalos.
Metro Manila remains under alert level 2 until November 21.
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