The government has decided to allow malls to hold activities, including sales, to increase economic activity, Malacanang said on Friday.

Citing Resolution No. 75 of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases dated October 15, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said as part of the "gradual reopening of the economy," the task force has authorized the Department of Trade and Industry to adjust the permissible on-site operational capacities of all business establishments and/or activities under general community quarantine or lower.

"The establishments and malls may hold activities in order to spur economic or business activity, this includes sales," he said.

But he said these activities are subject to the DTI guidelines in the operations of malls and shopping malls.

Meanwhile, on curfews, Roque said the IATF enjoined the local government units not to cover workers, persons authorized outside of residences, and necessary establishments in the application of their curfew ordinances, to coordinate between and among each other and stabilize curfew rules and relax curfew hours.

Roque earlier said that during a recent Cabinet meeting, the secretaries have agreed to shorten the curfew hours from 12 midnight to 4am.

The LGU has the final say on the curfew hours, which in Metro Manila, an area under general community quarantine, fall between 10pm and 4am. Celerina Monte/DMS