MALL operators have agreed to conduct sales only during weekends amid the expected increase in traffic volume during the Christmas rush.
In a meeting Friday, mall operators and Inter-Agency Council for Traffic reached a consensus that there will be no weekday sales from Oct. 21 to Jan. 9 next year. Mall sales will only be allowed from 12:01 a.m. Saturday to 11:59 p.m. Sunday to manage the influx of vehicles and shoppers.
The I-ACT is urging mall operators to submit their traffic management plans two weeks ahead of their planned sale.
Data from the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority show that traffic speed along Edsa slows down to 5 kph whenever there is a sale in malls along the major thoroughfare.
Meanwhile, the I-ACT and the Metro Manila Council have agreed to come up with a resolution that will remove window hours for private vehicles traversing Edsa and C5 under the number coding scheme starting Oct. 31 to Jan. 31, 2017.