Cebu City Mall Operators See Recovering Foot Traffic Amid GCQ

Foot traffic in shopping malls here is slowly recovering as dine-ins in food shops are now allowed albeit in a limited capacity.

Celeste “Bong” Dy, operations head for the Visayas at AyalaMalls, said they “see an improvement in the traffic in the mall.”

“Allowing dine-in in food outlets and opening additional shops are steps towards the new normal, where Cebuanos can again experience their favorite activities at our malls,” Dy told the Philippine News Agency as the city downgraded to general community quarantine (GCQ).

Ayala’s two malls have put in place safety and health measures required by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).

For areas under GCQ, establishments are allowed up to 50-percent capacity while shops in areas placed under modified GCQ are allowed up to 75-percent capacity.

Under DTI guidelines, all dine-in services and transactions should be delivered as fast and as contactless as possible.

“We welcome this with strict compliance to the IATF and DTI guidelines to continue to guide mall-goers in this transition,” Dy said.

Food shops are mandated to implement minimum operational requirements such as enhanced ventilation and exhaust system; one-meter distance on all sides in queuing areas; putting of acrylic dividers in face-to-face seats; installation of pure purifiers; and the need for servers and food covers for buffet services.

RJ Leduna, senior public relations manager for the Visayas at SM Prime, said while some of the food tenants of their Cebu City malls have resumed dine-in services at 50-percent capacity, customer traffic is slowly catching up.

“Foot traffic, as well as vehicle count, are still very low,” he said.

Malls now require the standard mandatory temperature check at entrances, “no mask, no entry” policy for shoppers, and checking of quarantine passes, as required by the city government.

Floor queues, escalator and elevator markers, and one-way traffic guides have also been placed in shopping malls to reinforce physical distancing.

Stores and the parking booths accept cashless methods of payment, which shoppers are encouraged to utilize. (PNA)