November 22, 2014- Several mall operators in Metro Manila have agreed to adjust their store hours following the request of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) to help reduce traffic congestion during the holidays.

Starting November 28 up to January 3, next year, majority of the malls along Epifanio Delos Santos Avenue (EDSA) will operate from 11 am up to 11 pm.  Regularly, malls open at 10 a.m. and close at 9 p.m. on weekdays and usually 10 p.m. on weekends.

There are 15 big traffic-generating malls scattered along the stretch of EDSA.

But on December 24 and 25, December 31, and January 1, there will be a shortened mall hours, which shall be from 12 noon until 7 pm.

Annie Garcia, president, Supermalls, said mall operators have welcomed the proposal and “come into a consensus to support the proposal of the MMDA which is aimed at addressing traffic congestion in the main thoroughfare.

“It will be the first time that the mall industry to adjust mall hours to help the MMDA address the traffic problems during the Christmas season. There will be adjustments in shifts and workforce to cover the operating hours,” said Garcia.

MMDA chairman Francis Tolentino said he was pleased about the result of the meeting, which is one of the MMDA’s strategies to minimize traffic congestion in the vicinity of the malls.

“All will sacrifice for the greater good. This is to avoid morning hour and evening traffic,” said Tolentino, citing that traffic volume during the holidays increase by 20 percent.

Tolentino expressed optimism that the move will not affect mall’s revenues or the salaries of their employees.