Ram Felix Rengel, Jr.

Holidays at the Malls

The holiday is that time of the year when mall operators bet their sales to soar. It is also that time of the year when everyone wants to see a piece of Christmas-paradise. And with increasing competition, changing tastes of Filipino consumers and the ever lure of other alternative venues, malls in the Philippines rely on creativity and sheer talent to out-design and outlast one another. It is all about surviving, and cashing in more!

In Cebu where I used to spend my holidays, malls are filled to the brim by shoppers looking for the best deals for gifts and presents. People are just richer during these times, what with bonuses and nth-month pay. I can always observe that shops close late, the atmosphere cool, the environment filled with glistening lights and the airwaves hummed with carols. What a wonderful time of the year!

Now that I am based in Bohol, with only two smaller malls, and the people not so keen on malling, the atmosphere isn’t that lively yet. But still, mall operators try their very best to dress-up their places for the yuletide season, and offering mark-down prices on almost everything just to lure the consumers to spend—and spending they did! As captured by the lenses of my Canon A610, indeed there were people looking around for bargains and lining up the counters to pay for the goods they’ve chosen.

Hopefully, by next year, people will come even more to the malls to spend their holidays. And for mall operators to out-do their creations this year with even better, brighter and bigger holiday bang!

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From Shuji of Japan, shuji6971@hotmail.com

I enjoyed festive atmosphere and learned its background. A mall, especially a mega-mall, reminds me of my happy life and trip in Southeast Asia. In Tokyo we do not have such a huge festive space.