The upscale Festive Walk Mall in Mandurriao district in Iloilo City has reopened but with more stringent safeguards to protect guests, retail partners, store personnel and employees against against COVID-19.
The new safeguards includes the strict implementation of social distancing, mandatory thermal checks, compulsory wearing of facemasks and cashless transactions – a ‘new normal’ on all the lifestyle malls and commercial properties of Megaworld across the country.
Among reopened are Eastwood Mall, Eastwood Citywalk and The Clubhouse at Temple Drive in Quezon City; Lucky Chinatown in Binondo, Manila; Uptown Bonifacio, Forbes Town and Venice Grand Canal in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City; Three Central Mall, Paseo Center and San Lorenzo Place Mall in Makati City; California Garden Square in Mandaluyong City; The Village Square Alabang in Las Piñas City, Twin Lakes Shopping Village in Laurel, Batangas; Southwoods Mall in Binan, Laguna; Mactan Alfresco in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu; and Festive Walk Mall in Iloilo City.
The Megaworld has also intensified its existing mall sanitation and safety protocols which includes the introduction of brand new and state-of-the-art disinfection chambers, which will be stationed at different mall entrances to help further mitigate the spread of the viral disease.
Contactless purchases including the use of mobile or cashless transactions at select stores and the establishment of designated pick-up counters and drive-thru stations for online takeout orders and deliveries are also among the new additional measures to be implemented to protect and give shoppers more options when it comes to buying food and other essentials safely.
Meanwhile, in accordance with the new community quarantine guidelines of the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF), chapels, entertainment and leisure establishments will remain closed.
Access to free WiFi is also temporarily unavailable. Valid IDs must also be presented at the entrance and only guests ages 21 to 59 will only be allowed to enter. Restaurants and dining establishments will only cater takeout orders.
The safety measures became operational last May 16, 2020. The procedure consists of the following:
- Thermal scanning and foot bath are mandatory for all guests at all entrances
- All guests, mall employees and store personnel are required to wear face masks at all times
- Social distancing of 3 feet apart within mall premises and when queuing at concierge, ATMs, cashiers and comfort rooms is strictly implemented
- Alcohol and hand sanitizers are available
- Guests are encouraged to use cashless transactions for their purchases
- Only guests ages 21 to 59 will be allowed to enter. Guests must present their IDs upon entry.
- Elevator and parking card push buttons are sanitized every 30 minutes
- Parking cards are sanitized before deployment at the card dispenser
- Sanitation squad is deployed at all times to deep clean door handles, handrails, comfort rooms and common areas
- Escalator handrails are disinfected using UV light
- Dine-in is not allowed in all dining establishments
- Pick-up counters and drive-thru stations are in place for takeout orders and deliveries
- Free WiFi is temporarily unavailable
- Air conditioning is set at 26 Degrees Celsius
“The safety and well-being of our guests, employees and retail partners remain our topmost priority and we have put in place more intensified safety measures to help ensure a safer and happier shopping experience for everyone once we reopen our doors,” said Graham Coates, first vice president and head, Megaworld Lifestyle Malls.
