MMDA mulls scrapping curfew, wants longer mall hours in NCR

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) is planning to lift  or at least adjust the curfew hours in the National Capital Region as it asked mall owners to open for a longer period.

Interviewed on Super Radyo dzBB, MMDA chair Benhur Abalos said he will seek the permission first of NCR mayors to scrap or cut the curfew hours.

“Hihingi ako sa mayors (ng permission), dahil nga inaayos nga namin ito, na yung curfew baka mawala na yan o adjust na natin yan,” he said.

(I will ask the mayors for their permission, because we are working on it, that the curfew may be scrapped or adjusted already.)

Abalos wants to adjust the curfew after he requested mall operators during a meeting to “spread out” their closing hours to a later time up to 12 midnight to ease the traffic as well as help the economy.

Aside from this, he also suggested to them to schedule sales on weekends and holidays only, and not during weekdays.

Curfew in Metro Manila has been shortened to 12 midnight to 4 a.m. starting October 13.

On Friday, Malacañang announced that NCR and 10 other areas will be under Alert Level 3 from November 1 to 14.

Several establishments will be allowed to operate at 30% indoor venue capacity only for fully vaccinated individuals and 50% outdoor venue capacity, provided that all employees are fully vaccinated. — Joviland Rita/RSJ, GMA News