MMDA clears air: No mall-wide sale ban

Metro Manila, Philippines – The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) clarified on Tuesday that there is no mall-wide sale ban during the holiday season and that it just requested malls to either skip the weekdays or provide a two-week notice for traffic management preparations.

“We never ban or prohibit the mall-wide sale, wala hong (there’s no) black and white and we don’t even have penalty sa magko-conduct noon, (to those who will conduct that)” Victor Maria Nuñez, director III for enforcement of the MMDA Traffic Discipline Office, said in a Senate hearing.

“If hindi talaga kayang hindi magkaroon ng mall-wide sales, ang pakiusap namin at least two weeks before they should inform us and provide us a traffic management plan,” Nuñez added.

[Translation: If it’s impossible to avoid mall-wide sales, we request that they inform us at least two weeks in advance and provide a traffic management plan.]

He said the request extends to malls along EDSA and other major roads in Metro Manila.

Nuñez made these remarks in response to Senator Raffy Tulfo, chairman of the committee on public services, who inquired about the ban announced last week. The ban, initially disclosed in media statements by MMDA Special Operations Group-Strike Force chief Gabriel Go, sparked criticism.

“If you're going to see the deeper situation kung bakit bina-ban natin or we're not allowing mall-wide sales during weekdays because from Mondays to Fridays definitely, the traffic congestion is really heavy,” Go told NewsWatch Plus on Friday, Dec. 6.

He said the ban aims to prevent further congestion caused by mall goers. He also said outlets inside malls can individually go on sale “on the premise na wala pong (that there’s no) major advertisement or announcement.”