Filipinos love going to the mall for several reasons. During the summer, they flock to the nearest mall or shopping center to cool off and find activities to while away time. When the -ber months arrive, the public frequently visits malls to find the ideal gift to give their friends and loved ones. Throughout the year, however, people drop by malls to participate in various activities that are either permanent or temporary.
There’s always something to do in the mall. While people limit it to recreation, malls slowly developed their spaces to cater to the public’s ever-changing needs. It’s almost become a one-stop destination where people can get many things done.
Shop ‘til they drop
When people think of malls, the first thing that comes to mind is shopping. True enough, malls have a myriad of stalls ranging from clothing to sporting goods to food and more. Whatever people think of buying, there’s a good chance they can find it in malls.
Executives and administrators behind mall development make the shopping experience convenient by grouping shops of the same purpose together. Many lifestyle malls take pride in their well-curated areas that allow shoppers to jump from store to store in search of the ideal purchase.
Department stores, which vary in size depending on the mall branch, are also available to help shoppers find what they need (or want) in one location. It also houses several brands to give consumers options.
Often, malls hold special sales to encourage people to drop by and shop to their hearts’ content or experience promos that will give them more bang for their buck.
Aside from department stores, malls also have a grocery store complete with fresh, processed, and packed produce with other household necessities to make their trip worthwhile. Grocery stores also have frequent sales and other promotions to entice shoppers.
Eat their fill
Shopping or strolling through malls for hours is tiring. It’s good then that malls are full of food stalls and restaurants of different cuisines to satisfy mall-goers’ cravings and fit them according to their budget.
Most malls place their food options in one area or nearby for accessibility and convenience, while others place them across the mall to bring them closer to mall-goers. Foodcourts are also available, so people don’t have to walk far to find numerous choices, from full meals to dessert to snacks, for their enjoyment.
While people can enjoy these food stalls and restaurants alone, having friends or family to share the good food and have a warm conversation can help elevate the experience.
Keep entertained
Another feature of malls is numerous recreational activities to pass the time or create new memories with friends and loved ones.
The most common form of recreation that mall-goers frequent are the cinemas and arcades. Not only do they get to pass the time, they can also sit back and relax while watching a good film or try different games with a chance of winning a prize.
Sometimes, malls also become venues for specific events. Whether promotional or seasonal, people get the chance to participate in particular activities or get an opportunity to meet their favorite artists.
Other times, malls hold art galleries and exhibits in their open spaces to give mall-goers a glimpse of the local arts and culture.
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle
Across the country, malls also serve as vaccination hubs against the COVID-19 virus. Its accessibility and area make them convenient to house many Filipinos, who want to get vaccinated. Malls with active social media accounts also make it easier for people to stay updated on schedule changes before dropping by.
Before the pandemic, however, several malls already house wellness brands like gyms, dentists, and optical houses to allow mall-goers to address their health with the help of trained professionals and without traveling too far.
Pharmacies are also available in malls so people can get medicine and other medical equipment to treat their ailments.
Several malls also have clinics within their vicinity where mall-goers can ask for medical advice.
Get more things done
What most people don’t realize (yet) is that malls also house numerous services from the government and private institutions.
The most common one is the presence of banks to get their financial responsibilities under control. However, banks in malls don’t follow the latter’s operating hours; instead, they adhere to their original schedule as mandated by their company.
Mall-goers can also pay their utility bills in malls. More often than not, there are service centers that allow people to settle their accounts or conduct other transactions. Service centers also offer money sending and exchanging services that are sometimes hard to come by.
As the Philippines began to adapt to cashless transactions, malls added e-wallet top-up services to their list of amenities that mallgoers can avail themselves.
Besides these services, malls now offer government services that provide people with the necessary papers for identification and other purposes.
For instance, the Department of Foreign Affairs has branches in malls to handle the number of people who want to get or renew their passports for identification or travel.
Numerous malls also have Social Security (SSS), PAG-IBIG Fund, and Land Transportation Office branches where people flock to get their official papers sorted. The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), where people can request a copy of their birth certificate, also lends its utilities through mall centers.
Upon completion, these government centers notify people to return to the mall and claim their papers.
Malls have developed throughout the years to meet the public’s needs. From a place where people can buy clothes or accessories, it transformed into a one-stop destination, where people can experience and get more things done.
Filipinos don’t have to brave the traffic or commute to get from one place to another just to complete their tasks. They can easily shop, dine, and avail government and private institutions’ services in a mall of their choice. Once finished, they can eat to their hearts’ content or while away time with other recreational activities.