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This Week in Metro Manila (December 25 to 31, 2017)
It’s finally the most wonderful time of the year!
By: Denisse Shawntel Tan | December 25, 2017
Two of the most anticipated holidays of the year, Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve, will happen this week. As families celebrate these occasions, they can also head to the malls to catch movies from this year’s Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF). However, it should be noted that major malls in Metro Manila have various operating schedules to adjust to the holidays.
Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve
December 25 is a non-working holiday.
Christmas is one of the most awaited occasions Filipinos celebrate. Besides the gift-giving, it is celebrated by spending time with loved ones while partaking in delicious meals during noche buena (Christmas Eve feast). The Misa de Gallo (midnight mass) for Filipino Catholics will also happen at the very start of Christmas day. Usually, all family members are present to attend this mass.
A few days after Christmas comes New Year’s Eve. It is usually celebrated through another midnight feast called media noche. The feast is followed by a noise barrage in accordance with the belief that the noises repel bad spirits. Filipinos typically use firecrackers; however it is strongly opposed by the government as these cause serious injuries or in some cases even death among its users.
Holiday Mall Hours
The malls have varying schedules depending on the date.
Major malls are open for the holidays but for only a specific time. Below is the list of schedules:
• SM North EDSA is open from 10:00 AM to 11:00 PM on December 25 to 30, and from 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM on December 31.
• SM Megamall will be open from 11:00 AM to 11:00 PM on December 25. While on December 26 to 30 it will be open from 10:00 AM to 11:00 PM.
• SM Mall of Asia will be open from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM on December 25 to 30. While on December 31 the mall will be open from 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM.
• SM Aura will be open from 9:00 to 7:00 PM on December 31.
• Fisher Mall will be open from 11:00 AM to 11:00 PM from December 25 to 30, while on December 31 it will be open from 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM.
• Shangri-La Plaza Mall will be open from 12:00 PM to 9:00 PM on December 25.
• Araneta Center Malls will be open from 12:00 PM to 11:00 PM on December 25 and January 1, 2018. On December 31, the malls will be open from 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM.
• U.P. Town Center will be open from 11:00 AM to 11:00 PM during weekdays on December 25 to 30. On December 31, it will be accessible from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM.
• Alabang Town Center can be visited on December 25 to 30 from 11:00 AM to 10:00 PM on weekdays and 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM on weekends. On December 31 it will be open from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM.
• Glorietta will be open from 12:00 PM to 10:00 PM on December 25. While from December 26 to 30, it will be open from 11:00 AM to 10:00 PM on weekdays, and 10:00 AM to 10:0 0PM on weekends.
• TriNoma from December 25 to 30 will be open from 11:00 AM to 11:00 PM. On December 31, it will be open from 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM.
Traffic News
Shoppers and travelers are advised to plan ahead to avoid the risk of traffic.
MMDA spokesperson Celine Pialago said that motorists can anticipate intense traffic congestion because of different Christmas party events. As a precaution for the expected Christmas rush, the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) will deploy 2,500 traffic enforcers.
MMDA also tells the public to be more patient as it is expected that an additional 20% of the usual number of vehicles on EDSA will contribute to the traffic this holiday. This means that there would be 60,000 more cars in the already 300,000 volume of cars along the Epifanio Delos Santos Avenue (EDSA).
Lechon
Lechon is one of the fattiest foods on a Filipino party table. (Image: Mila’s Lechon Pasig Facebook Page)
Despite being notorious for being unhealthy, lechon (roasted suckling pig) is a staple food in most Filipino occasions, including Christmas and New Year festivities. The lechon is either served whole with an apple in its mouth or chopped into pieces.
As much as it is delicious, doctors and nutritionists advice those who are feasting on lechon this holiday season to limit their intake. Besides the tremendous amount of cholesterol, lechon also contains high calories.
Hotel Booking Status
Some hotels are high in demand. (Image: Miss Earth’s Facebook Page)
Diamond Hotel, Manila Hotel, Hotel 101, Hop Inn Hotel Manila branch, and Waterfront Pavilion Hotel and Casino have available rooms from December 25 to 31. However, the status of the hotels might change as rooms are in the demand during the season. Those who are interested in booking rooms for the week may check websites such as Trivago and Booking to check the availability of hotel rooms.
Holiday Ham
Hams can be sweet, salty, or smoked. (Image: Majestic Ham Facebook Page)
The holiday ham is one of the symbols of the feeling of Christmas as it is usually associated with noche buena. It can also be a pasalubong (take-home gift) one can bring home to the family. There are many shops in Metro Manila that serve different kinds of holiday ham from boneless, cured, sliced, bone-in, Chinese, and much more.
Weather
The winds are already getting colder.
The Philippines might not have a white Christmas but the weather will be fairly sunny with partial showers occurring that can last until the day after the holiday. However, on the midweek up to Saturday, it will be mostly cloudy accompanied by light rains. The average day temperature for the week is 30 °C. Those who are going on a trip or vacation during the week are advised to bring protection from the rain such as umbrellas or raincoats.
Metro Manila Film Festival
This year’s entries are a mixture of mainstream and indie films. (Image: Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) Official Facebook Page)
The Metro Manila Film Festival or the MMFF is considered as an annual Christmas tradition by some Filipinos as the festival showcases different films from December 25 up to January 7, 2018. On its 43rd year, the MMFF presents eight films that the public can choose from. One of the most talked about entries is the star-studded Gandarrapidoo: The Revenger Squad, which stars Vice Ganda, Daniel Padilla, and Pia Wurtzbach.
Other entries include the romantic-comedy film All of You, horror-thriller Haunted Forrest, musical-drama Ang Larawan (The Picture), action-fantasy Ang Panday (The Blacksmith), dark-comedy Deadma-Walking, and romantic movie Siargao. Tickets can be purchased at major mall cinemas. Ticket price depends on the mall.
About Denisse Shawntel Tan
Denisse Tan is currently a work in progress: she’s an aspiring writer, artist, and fashion designer! She’s trying to figure out how to manage her time in achieving all of her goals while also taking in life as humanly possible. Aside from art, she’s a big fan of the color pink, disco music, Bratz dolls, and Genshin Impact. By age 35, she plans to travel to New York City 🗽.
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