SM malls deploy additional safety protocol officers

SM malls deploy additional safety protocol officers
Shoppers flood SM North Edsa on its opening last weekend. (Image from Mark Samson)

SM Supermalls deployed additional safety protocol officers to remind shoppers to follow COVID-19 protocols inside the malls. 

“Kung minsan sa unang bugso ng mga tao ay nakakalimot sila pero dinagdagan namin ang aming safety protocol officers para paalalahanan sila na sumunod sa ating mga patakaran,” Bien Mateo, SM Supermalls senior vice president for operations, said in an interview with Dobol B sa News TV on Monday.

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(Sometimes shoppers forget the first time they enter, but we increased the number of our safety protocol officers to remind them to follow the rules.)

“Kahapon halos lahat ng aming malls ay nabisita ng mga representante ng PNP at ng local government, nakita nila kung paano namin ipatupad  ang social distancing sa customers,” he added.

(PNP and local government representatives visited almost all of our malls, and they saw how we implement social distancing in our customers.)

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Mateo said it seemed shoppers got excited with the reopening of malls, and some of them forgot the “new normal” protocols.

“Nung unang araw ng pagbubukas ng 74 malls namin nationwide, halos lahat naman ay naipatupad namin ang mga patakaran na ipinasa sa amin ng IATF (Interagency Task Force) at local government. Merong nakakalimot, sa sobrang excitement nila nakakalimot sila sa social distancing,” he said.

Mateo, however, said the shoppers followed the rules whenever their attention was called.

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“That’s why meron kaming tinatawag na safety protocol officers at ‘yun ang kanilang trabaho na tawagin ang pansin at natutuwa kami na talagang ‘pag tinawag mo ang kanilang pansin ay sumusunod naman po at nakakaintindi sila sa mga patakaran ng mga establisyemento,” he said.

SM Supermalls announced Sunday the would implement no entry without masks and temperature checks.

“The customers observed social distancing and queuing. At times when customers were too excited and forgot protocols, security guards and Safety Protocol Officers were on hand to remind them and to reinforce safe malling guidelines. The customers generally understood and followed all the social distancing protocols at the end of day. All safety protocols were communicated throughout the mall,” it said.

Cavite Governor Jonvic Remulla, meanwhile, ordered all shopping malls closure in the province after shoppers failed to practice social distancing.