Palace to malls: Enforce social distancing or close operations

Malacañang on Monday told mall owners to strictly enforce social distancing in establishments or else the government will order them to close operations again.

“Sa mga mall po na hindi sumusunod sa social distancing at crowd control, well, madali lang po iyan – ipapasara po kayong muli,” presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said in a televised briefing.

Mall owners may face criminal liability if they fail to fully implement the guidelines issued by the government, he added.

“May legal possibility po ‘yan dahil under the We Heal As One Act kinakailangan ipatupad ang mga requirements ng IATF [Inter-Agency Task Force], so meron din pong criminal liability ‘yan if they do not fulfill the obligation na dapat ginagawa nila,” Roque said.

Roque issued the warning after crowds gathered in shopping malls over the weekend following the government’s order to reopen more businesses in Metro Manila and other parts of the country in order to revitalize the economy.

The Palace said malls must limit the number of people inside to a density of not more than one person per two square meters, conduct temperature checks and implement the use of face masks or shields.

Joint Task Force Coronavirus Shield (JTF CV Shield) Police Lieutenant General Guillermo Eleazar earlier in the day said authorities have been coordinating with mall owners to ensure health measures are being implemented. 

But Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez denied on Monday that malls and other retail establishments teemed with people when their operations partially resumed over the weekend.

"We checked personally some malls in the metropolis na usually on a Sunday afternoon, punung-puno ng tao [and] we can see na hindi naman ganun karami ang tao. While we were interviewing, doing a quick survey, the crowd is only about 20% of what a typical Sunday afternoon pre-COVID times. It's just about 20%," Lopez  said.

"The number of stores open actually. And despite some of the stores allowed to open, only about 20% also have opened up," he added. — RSJ, GMA News