MANILA - Metro Manila mayors oppose the reopening of cinemas in their jurisdictions, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority said Sunday.

The mayors are drafting a formal notice opposing the national government's decision to allow the resumption of operations of movie theaters in areas under general community quarantine, said MMDA chairman Benhur Abalos.

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"Napagkasunduan po ng majority na talagang 'wag muna, as far as cinema is concerned. Kasi po unang-una, it’s enclosed. Pangalawa, wala namang sineng 30 minutes. Matagal po yan at air-conditioned," he told ABS-CBN's TeleRadyo.

(Majority of the mayors agreed not to reopen cinemas. First of all, it's enclosed. Second, movies last more than 30 minutes, and cinemas are air-conditioned.)

"Halos wala namang nagpo-produce ng sine ngayon."

(No one is producing films nowadays.)

Abalos said he supports the reopening of the economy, but urged for more gradual steps.

"Tingnan natin, unti-untiin natin kung walang spike. Nakakatakot dito mag-spike. Mahirap bumalik sa dati. Eto na yung bakuna eh," he said.

(Let's see, let's take it slow if there's no spike in cases. What's scary is if there will be a spike. It would be difficult to go back. The vaccine is almost here.)

COVID-19 vaccines from global alliance COVAX Facility are expected to arrive as early as this week as the Philippines reported 547,255 total coronavirus cases on Saturday, with 34,967 active infections.

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