MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Tourism (DOT) on Saturday postponed the nationwide mall sale portion of the 2020 Philippine Shopping Festival until further notice.
The DOT’s statement released on Saturday (Feb. 29) said the decision was brought about by the alarming rise in coronavirus disease (COVID-19) infections all over the world that occurred in the past few days.
The agency said the move prioritizes the safety of its citizens more than visitor arrivals and revenue.
The tourism department also said that it has coordinated with the mall establishments and is thankful for their support on the decision to postpone the nationwide sale to a later date for the safety of their customers.
It added, however, that the malls are still free to continue its day to day operations.
The DOT also recommends that malls follow the precautionary measures set by the Department of Health (DOH) such as checking the temperatures of mall-goers before allowing them to enter and the provision of more hand sanitizers in their premises.
“As much as we want to mitigate the economic impact of the COVID-19, the safety of our citizens remains our priority. We advise the general public to maintain proper hygiene and follow the guidelines set by the Department of Health to contain the spread of the virus,” said Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat.
It can be recalled that during the Alert Level 4 phase of the Taal Eruption, the DOT also recommended to cease the operations of all tourism establishments in the affected areas in the interest of public safety and welfare. — /mbmf
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