(UPDATE) THE Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) on Friday announced several measures to ease traffic in Metro Manila ahead of the Christmas rush, including new mall hours, delivery restrictions, and a moratorium on road works. Starting Nov. 17, shopping malls in the capital will open from 11:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. on weekdays until Dec. 25. MMDA Chairman Romando Artes said the adjustments are part of the agency’s annual strategy to manage heavier traffic as more people visit malls during the holiday season. Following a meeting with mall operators, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), and utility firms, the MMDA also ordered malls to submit their traffic management plans two weeks before any planned sale or promotional event. Mall-wide sales will only be allowed on weekends. Individual stores may still hold sales during weekdays, but without public announcements, advertisements, or tarpaulins. Deliveries to malls will be limited to nighttime hours — from 11:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. on weekdays — except for perishable goods such as food and ice. The agency also ordered a temporary suspension of road excavation activities on national and city roads during the period to avoid further congestion. Projects that are exempted from the suspension include major bridge repairs, flood interceptor catchment projects, and emergency leak repairs. “The Christmas season brings with it a 10 to 25 percent increase in vehicular volume in Metro Manila roads,” Artes said, adding that the measures are intended to keep holiday traffic manageable. Provincial buses will also be allowed to use EDSA from 10:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. starting Dec. 20. From Dec. 24 to Jan. 2, they may operate around-the-clock to accommodate more passengers. Buses from the north will end trips in Cubao, Quezon City, while those from the south will terminate at the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange or in Pasay City. The MMDA will also extend the night shift of traffic enforcers until midnight beginning Nov. 17. In coordination with the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and transport groups, the agency will work to extend the operating hours of the EDSA Bus Carousel, LRT, MRT-3, and other public transport systems for late-night commuters and mall workers. The MMDA said it will intensify clearing operations and enforce traffic rules more strictly, including through its No Contact Apprehension Policy (NCAP), during the holiday period.