I'm not a resident of the Philippines but even so I've been coming to the Philippines almost yearly since I've been little. And each and every time I take my vacation that my relatives and I shop here for certain things if not more than half of our grocery list. I cannot compare to how malls are in the US to that of the Philippines. That would be unfair in more ways than one. And due to being here overtime, nothing fades me.
This mall has been here for what feels like forever for me. Parking is limited and can be difficult especially during lunch hours. There are security who helps as much as they can. Most people have the driver to wait while the remaining passengers go into the mall and get their groceries. There are security at the doors which is a good thing especially with how crowded the mall is and is necessary to keep the environment as safe as possible. There are always plenty of tricycle drivers trying to find anyone who needs a ride to get somewhere. There are plenty of ATM machines outside. There are lots of kiosk all throughout. So many choices if hungry. There is one appliance store and a huge grocery store. For a foreigner, all of this can be overwhelming and not for one who is claustrophobic. It can get crowded to the point of running into anyone and everyone. Even in the grocery store it's just as crowded and the aisles are quite small. All the workers are nice though and respectful regardless of how many people are around and need to be served. One thing I was sad about was when they took out internet cafes. It was the one thing that I looked for as a way for me to keep in touch with loved ones back in the US. Now I'm being forced to buy load or get a portable WiFi with load. But even then, that's more frustrating to deal with in comparison to going to a internet café.
If only there would be a way for this mall to expand in order to provide more room. Even in the cafeteria area, it's too crowded and rather difficult to find seating to the point one might as well do take out. The main reason for it being as crowded as it is is the fact that many students use this mall as well.
The environment hasn't changed no matter how much time has passed. However, I'm used to it. Even though it is the way it is, it still has a system in which everyone is capable of following. read more