You’ll See Fewer Tiangges in Greenhills During the New Normal

Greenhills is home to the tiangge—tiny but packed stalls selling affordable clothes, tech fixes, collectible toys, and everything else in between. The tiangges fit a lot and see several customers in a day, but with COVID-19 closing malls and imposing drastic changes on operations, it seems Greenhills tiangges will also have to adjust. 

San Juan city Mayor Francis Zamora said on May 26 that there would be fewer tiangge stalls at the Greenhills Shopping Center to ensure social distancing would be observed once the country shifts to the “new normal.” 

Apart from the number of stalls allowed to operate, Zamora said in a Dobol B interview that mall management also modified the tiangge area’s layout. Instead of the usual rows of tiangges standing side by side, a two-meter distance will separate the stalls. 

There are also markers for a one-way walk flow so both buyers and shoppers can remain socially distant. 

The tiangges were set to open in June, after the supposed end of the modified enhanced community quarantine in Metro Manila.

“Sa tiangge area, ang kasunduan namin ay hindi na dapat in-line. Dati kasi tabi-tabi ‘yan. Noong nag-ocular inspection tayo… ‘yung bagong layout nila ay mayroon ng espasya mula sa isa’t isa so hindi na siya isang linya lamang… Hindi na dikit-dikit,” Zamora said.

“Magi-impement sila ng one-way walk throuh, kumbaga, ‘yung mga customer ay one-way lang ang lakad. Hindi pwede magkasalubong. May markers sa sahig at may safety officers sa mall na magbabantay sa both shoppers and vendors,” he added.

Both shoppers and vendors are required to wear face masks. Safety officers stationed around the mall would do temperature scans and make individuals go through disinfecting foot baths.