Malls to adjust opening hours to ease holiday traffic

MANILA, Philippines — To ease traffic congestion during the Christmas season, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and mall operators in the National Capital Region yesterday agreed to adjust mall hours.

Instead of 10 a.m., shopping malls will open at 11 a.m. from Nov. 18 to Dec. 25, MMDA Chairman Romando Artes said at a press briefing.

The closing time will be at the discretion of the mall operators, Artes said.

MMDA officials and mall operators met yesterday at the agency’s headquarters in Pasig to discuss measures to help alleviate road congestion during the holidays.

Representatives from SM Supermalls and Robinsons Malls who attended the meeting expressed their support for the MMDA policies.

Artes said the agency opted to reinstate measures to prevent Metro Manila roads from becoming “massive parking lots” during the Christmas season.

Artes said the opening hours of 131 shopping malls in Metro Manila would be adjusted. Of the number, 29 are located along EDSA.

Malls should also enforce a limited schedule of deliveries, except those carrying perishable goods, from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. as well as avoid holding mall-wide sales.

The MMDA will also prohibit road diggings both by government agencies and utility firms, with exemptions to be announced by the agency.

The MMDA estimates that 500,000 vehicles will traverse highways in Metro Manila leading to the holiday season.