Banks now also secure branches within the shopping malls and adjust their working hours for the convenience of weekend mall-goers. However, while I thought that the transformation of our shopping malls was unique to the Philippines, apparently not. The same goes for the once upscale Millenia Walk that used to house only luxury fashion boutiques. I have always been amazed and envious of the underground malls of Japan and Singapore, providing relief from the heat during summer, and in Japan — from the freezing temperature in winter. Unfortunately, for us, because of our location within the typhoon belt, underground malls would be prohibitively expensive to build to ensure that they do not flood.

Source: Philippine Star February 04, 2026 08:29 UTC