MANILA, Philippines — The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) started enforcing yesterday policies that govern shopping mall hours and road digging works during the holiday season.
In a Facebook post, the MMDA said shopping malls have adjusted business hours by opening at 11 a.m. – an hour later than the usual 10 a.m. schedule – and closing at midnight.
Mall management will carry out nighttime deliveries only from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m., except for food items and other perishable goods.
The MMDA advised mall operators to submit traffic management plans before organizing holiday promotional events or sale activities as it reminded them that mall-wide sales should be done only on weekends.
To help ease traffic congestion during the holiday rush, the MMDA also declared a ban on excavation works – such as road reblocking, pipe laying and road upgrading – along national and city roads in Metro Manila.
The ban, however, does not cover government flagship projects, bridge repair or construction by the Department of Public Works and Highways, flood interceptor catchment projects, asphalt overlays that do not involve road reblocking, sidewalk improvement and drainage improvement along sidewalks.
Also exempted from the ban are footbridge projects, emergency leak repairs by water concessionaires, installation of new electricity or water connection, relocation works by the Manila Electric Co. that would affect big-ticket government projects, and road activities that do not involve digging.
The adjustment of shopping mall hours and the ban on road works would remain in effect until Christmas Day, the MMDA said.