Coronavirus: Manila malls reopen, but don’t want shoppers to hang around

Shopping centres in the Philippine capital usually attract millions of people a day and often contain churches, restaurants, gyms and event spaces

As Manila’s coronavirus lockdown is eased, malls have blocked free Wi-fi access and set the air conditioners to warm to discourage people from gathering

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Shoppers wear masks as they walk through an almost empty shopping centre in Manila on May 16, 2020. Photo: AP

Published: 10:59pm, 16 May 2020Updated: 10:59pm, 16 May 2020

Shopping centres in the Philippines’ capital set air conditioners to warm and switched off free Wi-fi to stop people lingering as many of them cautiously reopened on Saturday, after a two-month lockdown that brought the sprawling hubs of community life to a halt was eased.

Just a trickle of customers showed up at the huge commercial centres in Manila, which usually attract millions of people each day and often contain churches, restaurants, gyms and event spaces.

“This is good for me, this is good for our economy,” said Yuki Alvie Merano, 31, among the first in line to enter one mall, joking that shopping was “therapeutic”.

Measures in place to prevent the spread of the coronavirus included walk-in booths filled with clouds of disinfectant, distanced queues, temperature checks and mandatory masks.

A security guard takes the temperature of a shopper at the entrance of a shopping centre in Manila on May 16, 2020. Photo: AFP

Only a selection of shops were allowed to open, including those selling clothing, books and electronics – but salons, cinemas and eat-in restaurants remained closed.