Malls ready for MECQ with safety measures, debunk fake overcrowding photos

Malls have implemented safety measures and prepared for the public during the modified enhanced community quarantine, debunking circulating photos of overcrowding as fake news.

Robinson's Malls senior vice president Arlene Magtibay clarified that a viral photo of an overcrowded mall was an old image used for social amelioration package distribution in a provincial branch.

Magtibay assured that malls are set up for a peaceful and orderly shopping experience with visual cues for social distancing and a guidebook for retailers on health and sanitation.

Shoppers have been cooperative in adhering to social distancing, presenting quarantine passes, and wearing face masks, with security guards reinforcing these protocols.

Megaworld Lifestyle Malls has also implemented stringent safety measures, including employee antibody testing and disinfectant chambers at entrances, despite a significant decrease in visitor numbers.

Graham Coates of Megaworld Lifestyle Malls noted that customers are still cautious, making fewer trips, but the implemented measures aim to provide a safe and enjoyable shopping experience.

Certain tenants like gyms, bars, and cinemas were prohibited from opening, and Megaworld has offered rent concessions to support them during the pandemic.

Both mall operators expressed gratitude for the public's cooperation and their own adaptability to the 'new normal' during the ongoing health crisis.