Vico suspends grocery store in Pasig for not maintaining distancing rule

MANILA, Philippines — The operations of a mall’s grocery chain branch in Pasig City has been suspended by the local government for failing to maintain physical distancing protocols due to the ongoing pandemic.

Pasig Mayor Vico Sotto said on Tuesday that Landers Superstore’s grocery in Barangay Ugong would stop operating until July 27 as a penalty after undercover inspections revealed that shoppers were crowding in an aisle.

Sotto explained that they initially did not want to reveal the name of the store to avoid bad publicity, but the nature of the business would mean that word of its temporary closure would still spread out.

“Landers Ugong is suspended for failure to maintain social distancing. Usually, when we suspend, for this reason, we don’t announce the name. We don’t want them to have bad publicity; we just want their customers safe,” Sotto said in a tweet.

“But this is a big business, so you’ll probably hear about it anyway,” he added.

Landers Ugong is suspended for failure to maintain social distancing.

Usually when we suspend for this reason, we dont announce the name. We dont want them to have bad publicity; we just want their customers safe.

But this is a big business,so youll probably hear abt it anyway. pic.twitter.com/7lHRtGzuNl

— Vico Sotto (@VicoSotto) July 21, 2020

The local executive attached photos of the inspection dates, with both photos each showing at least eight persons crammed through an aisle in the grocery.  While the individuals were wearing face masks — some even wearing face shields — they were not situated at least one meter apart from each other.

Sotto said that other areas of the store, including the barbershop, plant shop, the pharmacy, and the parking may remain operational.

“Only the grocery is temporarily closed.  Management has expressed their intent to comply as we encourage them to use the next few days to improve their health/safety protocols,” he noted.

The restaurant, barbershop, plant shop, pharmacy, and parking lot MAY REMAIN OPEN for business.

Only the grocery is temporarily closed.

Management has expressed their intent to comply as we encourage them to use the next few days to improve their health/safety protocols.

— Vico Sotto (@VicoSotto) July 21, 2020

Currently, Pasig has 1,359 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with 97 patients dead and 679 recovered, and 583 active cases. [ac]