Personnel at SM Fairview in Quezon City check the body temperature of shoppers at the mall’s main entrance as COVID-19 turns into a global health nightmare. (Dennis Maliwanag/INQUIRER.net)
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Tourism (DOT) on Saturday announced the postponement of a month-long nationwide mall sale in a bid to curb the spread of the corona virus disease in the Philippines.
In a statement, the DOT said the sale aspect of the 2020 Philippine Shopping Festival is postponed indefinitely.
“The DOT maintains its stance to prioritize the safety of its citizens more than visitor arrivals and revenue,” Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat said.
The mall sale, set to kick off on March 1 until 31, was meant to boost tourism currently being battered by travel restrictions as the disease that originated from Wuhan City in China has become a dreaded pandemic.
But as the government gave the green light on the sale, the Department of Health (DOH) cautioned the public from going to crowded places amid the COVID-19 threat.
The DOT said it coordinated with mall establishments that participated in the sale, telling them to continue their day to day operations.
“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,” Romulo-Puyat said.