Zamboanga banks open until 12-2pm only

MANILA, Philippines – Banking operations in war-torn Zamboanga City remain far from normal after some opened to accommodate client transactions. 

Victorio Mario Dimagiba, director of the trade department’s Consumer Welfare and Business Regulation Group (CWBRG), said in a bulletin that 29 commercial banks have opened for business, but some have earlier closing time at either 12 noon or 2 PM.

Most of them are located outside the city’s commercial district, he added.

Banks and other business establishments suspended operations on September 9, when rebels from a faction of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) seized the city, sparking a firefight with government troops that has now reached Day 16.

Some business operations have resumed, but others in the city proper have remained shut. Dimagiba said prices of basic necessities and prime commodities have remained constant since the last monitoring on September 22. 

READ: Hoping for normalcy in Zamboanga

In a separate interview with ANC on Monday, September 23, Mindanao Business Council vice chairperson Teresita Sebastian said Zamboanga economy still reels from the ongoing crisis, hitting the hardest the services sector, and the fishing and canning sectors.

Only the seaport of Zamboanga City has been opened for operations to ensure steady food supply.

There have been 9 department or grocery stores and 3 wet markets operating in the city, while 10 department/grocery stores and one wet market have remained closed.

Air travels to and from the Zamboanga International Airport have resumed, increasing flight volumes from limited levels since September 22. – Rappler.com