File photo MANILA - Demand for commercial space is supporting the growth of the country's property market with the easing of travel restrictions and recovery from the pandemic. Real estate services company Santos Knight Frank reported Tuesday that vacancy rate in the commercial sector for the second quarter of 2022 was at 4.6 percent, which was close to pre-pandemic level. Before the Covid-19 pandemic, vacancy rate for commercial space was at 3.6 percent in the fourth quarter of 2019. "The easing of travel restrictions, pent-up demand for consumption, high vaccination rates, and the return to office (RTO) are all being cited for the recovery in brick-and-mortar retail, a sector that saw many businesses closing shop during the height of pandemic lockdowns," Santos Knight Frank said in a statement. For the upcoming stores in Metro Manila alone, 32.7 percent of commercial space takers are for the food and beverage sector and 32.1 percent are for clothing apparel stores. &quo