By Brian Campued
In anticipation of the heavy traffic during the holiday season, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairperson Romando Artes announced that malls in the National Capital Region (NCR) will adjust their operating hours beginning in November.
The MMDA on Friday conducted a consultative meeting with various stakeholders, including mall operators, Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), as well as water, electricity, and telecommunications companies, to lay down measures aimed at minimizing congestion across major thoroughfares in Metro Manila.
According to Artes, around 700,000 vehicles are expected to add to the 3.6 million that traverse through Metro Manila every day as Christmas approaches.
“The Christmas season brings with it a 10 to 25 percent increase in vehicular volume in Metro Manila roads. By implementing these effective measures, we aim to provide a more manageable traffic flow for the holidays,” he said.
From Nov. 17 to Dec. 25, malls will open at 11:00 a.m. and close at 11:00 p.m. during weekdays while deliveries to malls will only be allowed between 11:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. except for perishable goods.
Mall-wide sales will be limited to weekends but may also be allowed on weekdays for certain stores or outlets inside the mall “provided that no announcement, advertisement, or tarpaulins of the same are made.”
Shopping mall operators must also coordinate with the MMDA in advance before the scheduled dates of their mall sales and promotional events.
The MMDA will likewise suspend all excavation activities in Metro Manila, including road reblocking, road upgrading, pipe-laying, and other works that may hinder the smooth flow of vehicles.
Certain projects will be exempted, including flagship infrastructure projects, DPWH’s bridge repair and construction, flood interceptor catchment projects, and emergency leak repair among others.
Artes added that provincial buses will be allowed to operate along the Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA) starting Dec. 20 between 10:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m.
From Dec. 24 to Jan. 2, 2025, buses will be allowed to operate 24 hours daily.
“Pero bawal pong tumawid, meaning ‘yung galing pong south [ay] hanggang Pasay (Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange) lamang at ‘yon pong galing north [ay] hanggang Cubao lamang,” Artes explained.
Over 2,000 MMDA enforcers will also be deployed until midnight to ensure continuous monitoring in major thoroughfares while the implementation of the No-Contact Apprehension Policy (NCAP) and clearing operations will be intensified during this period.
Artes said they will coordinate with the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and transport groups to extend the operating hours of the EDSA Bus Carousel, LRT-1, LRT-2, MRT-3, and public utility vehicles (PUVs) to accommodate late-night commuters and mall employees. (with report from Bernard Ferrer / PTV News)
