By Dean Aubrey Caratiquet
Operating hours of major malls in Metro Manila will be adjusted to 11:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. from Nov. 13 to Jan. 8 next year, according to the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA).
In a media briefing Friday, Oct. 20, MMDA Acting Chairperson Atty. Romando Artes said this is one of the agency’s measures to address the expected uptick in vehicular volume along major thoroughfares in Metro Manila during the season.
Mall operators are also required to submit their traffic management plans to the agency at least two weeks before conducting mall-wide sales and other promotional events.
“‘Yung mall-wide sales natin shall be allowed only on weekends… Pero ‘yung pailan-ilan na tindahan sa loob, ‘yung mga store o outlet sa loob ng mall, ay pwede pong payagan on weekdays,” Artes said.
Delivery hours of major shopping malls will also be adjusted to 11:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m., with exemption for perishable goods.
Artes also announced that the apprehension of simple moving violations “which may cause traffic congestion” shall be avoided.
“Case-to-case basis ‘yan. Ang instructions natin ay tingnan ng enforcers kung pwede nang hulihin o hindi. Pero ‘pag hinuli niya, ibig sabihin, hindi siya simple or light violation…The mere fact na hinuli siya, ibig sabihin [ay] hindi siya simple violation,” he added.
MMDA is expecting a 10%-14% increase in traffic volume along major roads in Metro Manila, particularly those leading to major shopping malls.
Preventive maintenance on these thoroughfares will be postponed except for emergency repairs that need to be done.
The agency is yet to make any statement about adjustments to the Truck Ban and Unified Vehicular Volume Reduction Program (UVVRP) or number coding scheme. – cf
