Late Open, Early Tipid: Big Mall Chains Trim Hours as Power Crunch Bites

The country’s biggest mall operators are cutting weekday operating hours starting March 30, a clear sign that the national energy emergency is now hitting everyday commercial life. Rappler reported that SM, Robinsons, Ayala, and Megaworld all announced schedule adjustments as part of broader power-conservation efforts.

SM Supermalls, which runs around 90 malls nationwide, said most branches will open later on weekdays at 11 a.m. and close at 9 p.m. Weekend schedules will mostly stay at 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Robinsons Malls is also shifting weekday operations to 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., while keeping most weekend hours unchanged at 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Ayala Land’s malls are making a similar weekday move, trimming hours to 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. even as weekend schedules generally stay the same. Megaworld Lifestyle Malls is also reducing hours across its properties, with specific schedules depending on the location. Its cinema operations are being shortened too, especially early in the week.

The chains said the changes are meant to help reduce pressure on the national grid while the government deals with the power situation. Retail groups are trying to balance that public role with the need to keep malls functional for shoppers, tenants, and workers. So hindi full stop ang negosyo, but the message is obvious: everyone is being asked to adjust.

For consumers, this means checking each mall’s official pages before heading out because closing times may vary by branch. For businesses inside those malls, the shorter hours could affect foot traffic and sales patterns, especially on weekdays. The shift turns the energy emergency from an abstract government issue into something people will now feel in their normal errands, movie plans, and pagkain runs.

Source: https://www.rappler.com/business/sm-robinsons-ayala-megaworld-shorter-mall-hours-energy-emergency-march-30-2026/