By Brian Campued
In anticipation of the traffic congestion due to the holiday rush, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and mall operators in the National Capital Region (NCR) agreed to adjust operating hours.
From Nov. 18 to Dec. 25, shopping malls will open at 11:00 a.m., instead of 10:00 a.m. Closing hours, meanwhile, will be at the discretion of mall operators.
“But we encourage them to extend [their store hours], to give the public more time to do their errands and last-minute shopping,” MMDA Chair Romando Artes said in a press briefing following a consultative meeting with concerned stakeholders in Pasig City on Wednesday.
The MMDA ordered mall operators to also avoid holding mall-wide sales and enforce a limited schedule of deliveries, except for perishable goods, from 11:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. the following day.
According to the MMDA, there are 131 malls in NCR; 29 of these are located along Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA).
A moratorium on excavation activities that may affect traffic will also be imposed, except for flagship government projects and emergency repairs.
Based on the latest data from the MMDA Traffic Engineering Center, an estimated 421,000 vehicles pass through EDSA on a daily basis as of September 2024. The figure is expected to increase before and after Undas leading to the Christmas season.
“Pag ’yong peak hours nagsama-sama pa, buhos-buhos, doon talaga nagkakaroon ng embudo, nag-slow down completely,” Artes said.
“With this program, hindi man nababawasan ’yong number of vehicles, pero na-spread natin siya sa mas mahahabang oras,” the MMDA chief added.
Artes said that his agency will request the Department of Transportation to extend the operating hours of the EDSA Bus Carousel, LRT, and MRT to accommodate late-night commuters. (with report from Patrick de Jesus/PTV News)
—iro