Large shopping mall companies have insisted that they will comply with the president’s order not to allow minors as well as senior citizens over 65 years of age to enter their establishments.
Those aged 10 to 14 would have been able to leave their homes, but it was revoked on Monday night by President Rodrigo Duterte.
SM Malls have ensured that all their malls in the country will follow in relation to the admission of minors as well as the elderly over 65.
It is unfortunate because it would have been a big help to stimulate small businesses while implementing strict health protocols, said SM Supermalls President Steven Tan.
It is said that 32 Ayala Malls nationwide will also follow any government order.
According to Mei-Mei Bauzon, head of operations at Ayala, safety protocols are also being implemented in their malls.
In a statement, Robinsons said they will always support and follow government policy.
But malls have appealed that hopefully next month children and adults will be allowed to enter.
Malls willing to follow order on age restriction
Since the pandemic, less than half of the former crowd has gone to the malls.
Duterte said he was forced to reimpose the restrictions on children and senior citizens since the UK COVID-19 variant was already detected in the country.
“Ang sa akin is as a precaution because there is a strain discovered in the Cordillera that is very similar sa strain dito sa United Kingdom. How it got there is beyond me. Hindi ko talaga [alam] bakit dumating doon,” he said.
(For me it is a precaution because there is a strain discovered in the Cordillera that is very similar sa strain dito sa United Kingdom. How it got there is beyond me. I don’t know how it got there.)
“Balik ho muna kayo sa bahay muna, and besides, ‘yung 10 years old to 14, itong mga mas matanda na, mahirap i-manage pero itong mga 10, 11, 12, puwede na sila sa TV. They can glue their attention sa TV the whole day,” Duterte added.
(You should still stay at home, and besides, those aged 10 to 14, those who are older are more difficult to manage but those who are 10, 11, 12, they can just watch TV. They can glue their attention to the TV the whole day.)