By Glazyl Masculino BACOLOD CITY - Major shopping malls here have temporarily closed in support of the government’s efforts to fight the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). SM City Bacolod, Robinson’s Place Bacolod, Ayala Capitol Central, and 888 Chinatown Premiere and 888 Chinatown Square posted the announcements of their temporary closure starting March 20 until further notice, on their respective official Facebook pages. However, outlets in these malls offering basic necessities like supermarkets, pharmacies, banks, convenience stores, hardware stores, and selected restaurants with takeout and delivery services will remain open to continue serving the public. Mayor Evelio Leonardia thanked the management of the malls for complying with the Executive Advisory he issued last Wednesday, appealing from them to consider voluntarily reduce the number of days that they will be open for business, voluntarily close (fully or partially) until the health threat is averted, and continue to operate but with a skeletal staff and manned by those who are residents of Bacolod only. “This is a good step towards social distancing,” he said. Leonardia also issued Executive Order No. 22, stating that all recreational centers, community centers, and other commercial areas are also directed to limit their daily operational hours until 8 p.m., starting March 17, 2020 except for Business Processing Outsourcing (BPO), medical centers, hospitals, and other healthcare establishments, pharmacies, and funeral parlors. Private offices and establishments have also been encouraged to observe alternative working arrangements pursuant to the advisory of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) on March 4, 2020. Leonardia also said that government offices, bakeries, convenience stores (provided no dine-in), slaughterhouse, media outlets, hotels, inns, and pension houses, bakeries, fast food chains limited to take out services and gasoline stations are allowed to operate beyond 8 p.m. and during the curfew period. He also ordered all residents here to stay at home and refrain from roaming the streets starting 10 p.m. of March 17 to 4 a.m. the following day while the city is on general community quarantine until April 14, 2020. Exempted are personnel and employees of the establishments allowed to operate during the curfew period, including bank personnel, armored car drivers and guards, suppliers and regular market vendors, security guards, firefighters and other disaster personnel, priests, and ministers performing sacraments, and public utility vehicle drivers. Leonardia, in a press briefing, said that the purpose of the executive order was to limit the movement of people in the city. “The more you are expose to people, the more chances that you will be exposed to the disease,” he said. "This is the call of times. This is what we need at a times like this," the city mayor said, as he appealed to the people to understand the implementation of curfew and the other prohibitions given the present circumstances.