MAJOR shopping malls in the National Capital Region will adjust their mall operating hours from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. starting Nov. 18 to ease traffic congestion ahead of the “holiday rush”, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) said on Thursday said in a circular.

The adjusted mall hours will be in place until Dec. 25, it added. Prior to this, malls opened at 10 a.m.

Shopping mall operators will also submit traffic management plans to MMDA for their mall sales and promotional events two weeks before Nov. 18, the circular read.

Malls will also conduct deliveries only during nighttime from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. the next day, it added, noting the exemption of perishable goods.

Mall-wide sales will only be permitted on weekends, but sale on certain stores inside the mall is allowed even on weekdays, it said.

In a briefing on Wednesday, MMDA said it will talk to the Department of Transportation to discuss the extension of operating hours of the railway systems and the EDSA Carousel bus lines.