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MMDA urges mall owners to retain extended shopping hours


Mall operators have been urged to make permanent the adjustment of mall hours originally meant to ease traffic during the holidays.

On a "24 Oras" report by Oscar Oida, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) said traffic along EDSA is faster by 10 percent during the Christmas season.

"Bumabyahe ka ng, at least, an hour. Kahit papaano ngayon, naging 40 minutes. Forty to 45 minutes, so ganoon 'yung naging epekto niya," MMDA spokerperson Celine Pialago said.

This arragement with the shopping malls is effective only until Jan. 15 as stated under the an agreement of the establishments with the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the MMDA. Normal traffic operations apply after this period.

The MMDA called a meeting on Thursday with mall operators, asking them to extend the Christmas season mall schedule.

However, this was opposed by some mall operators.

"Unfortunately, yung ilan sa kanila nagsasabi na nagkaroon ng problema sa sales so ang nire-request na lang ho ng MMDA dito, gusto natin makakuha ng figures. Gusto namin malaman kung gaano ba 'yung ibinaba sa sales," Pialago said.

The Inter-Agency Council on Traffic (I-ACT), for its part, agreed that the schedule adjustment effectively eased traffic along EDSA but was likewise mindful of its impact on the malls.

"Ayaw namin muna gumalaw na di kumukunsulta, lalo na maapektuhan 'yung kanilang negosyo," said Elmer Argano, i-ACT's head of communications.

There are some shoppers, meanwhile, who are in favor of retaining the extended mall hours. — Margaret Claire Layug/BAP, GMA News

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