Major shopping malls in this city have implemented shorter operating hours in compliance with the government directive on general community quarantine as a measure to prevent the spread of coronavirus disease-2019 (Covid-19).
“All malls, recreational centers, community centers, and other commercial areas are directed to limit their daily operational hours until 8 p.m.,” a portion of Executive Order No. 22, series of 2020, released by the Office of the City Mayor stated.
The order provides for the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of EO No. 21 that placed Bacolod under a general community quarantine from March 14 to April 14.
On Tuesday, Robinsons Place Bacolod and Ayala Malls Capitol Central posted on their respective Facebook pages announcements of their adjusted operating hours starting March 17, from Monday to Sunday.
“For the health and safety of our customers, tenants and employees, please be advised that starting March 17, (we) will be adjusting (our) mall hours,” the management of Robinsons Place Bacolod said.
For now, the mall, located on Lacson Street in Barangay Mandalagan, opens at 10 a.m. and closes at 7 p.m.
“This is in line with our efforts to cooperate with the government in containing the spread of Covid-19,” it added.
The Ayala Malls Capitol Central, located on Gatuslao Street behind the Provincial Capitol Building, opens its doors to shoppers at 11 a.m. and closes at 7 p.m. until further notice.
“In support of the government directive on general community quarantine, please be guided on the shorter operating hours of (the mall),” it said.
On Monday, SM City Bacolod, situated at the Reclamation Area, updated its mall hours starting March 16 until further notice, opening at 11 a.m. and closing at 7 p.m., also from Monday to Sunday.
“This is in response to the heightened alert to protect the public from the Covid-19,” the mall management said.
In Bacolod, shopping malls usually open at 10 a.m. and close between 8 p.m. and 9 p.m. on weekdays, and on weekends, mall hours last until 9 p.m. and 10 p.m.
Meanwhile, the IRR as stated in EO No. 22 enforces curfew hours from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. as Bacolod is placed under a general community quarantine.
“These restricted hours shall require any person to already have returned to his or her home and to stay thereat until the lapse of restriction,” it said.
The order also asks parents and guardians to take proper responsibility for their minor children or wards in observing the curfew.
“Any person failing or refusing to observe this curfew measure will be dealt with properly by the Philippine National Police as regards the inimical act committed in violation of public order,” it added.
Exempted from curfew measures are medical personnel and persons needing emergency medical help; night-shift workers at pharmacies and drug stores; security guards; business process outsourcing workers; public utility emergency personnel; firefighters and other disaster relief personnel; priests and ministers performing last sacrament or last rites; and public utility vehicle drivers servicing all of the above. (Nanette Guadalquiver ndb via pna)