BILLBOARDS BACKGROUNDER
Sources: DPWH, iNEWS, INQ7, MMDA, OP, Senate website, House of Representatives website
 Last updated: October 4, 2006

BILLBOARD VIOLATIONS
Source: DPWH-NCR

Common billboard violations

  • no permit

  • set up near power lines

  • no maintenance (e.g. rusty structure)

  • too large

  • within the road right-of-way*

*road right-of-way (RROW): a kind of public open space for the continuous flow of pedestrian and vehicular traffic that must be free of all forms of prohibited physical obstructions

NUMBER OF ILLEGAL/UNSAFE BILLBOARDS IN METRO MANILA
as of November 12, 2007
Source: DPWH-NCR
  w/in the
road right-of-way
outside the
road right-of-way
Total
dismantled 4,411 139 4,550
for dismantling 602 1,257 1,859
Total 5,013 1,396 6,409

Report billboard concerns (illegal/ unstable, potentially unsafe) to DPWH: (02) 304-3913, (02) 304-3713

BILLBOARDS NA BUMAGSAK
Source: iNEWS

BILLBOARDS AND TYPHOON MILENYO

21 billboards ang bumagsak sa iba't-ibang lugar sa Metro Manila noong kasagsagan ng bagyong Milenyo (September 2006):

  •   8 sa West Service Road
  • 10 sa East Service Road
  •   1 sa Alabang Viaduct
  •   2 sa EDSA (Estrella at Magallanes)

Source: MMDA PIO

In the aftermath of Typhoon Milenyo, President Arroyo ordered all concerned agencies to dismantle all hazardous billboards found in gross violation of public safety. The President also directed DPWH and NDCC to coordinate with local government units in identifying safe places for billboards.

Source: Office of the President

July 8, 2002: Bandang 2:30pm, isang billboard ng ceramic tiles ang bumagsak sa EDSA habang kalakasan ng ulan. 

May 20, 2004: Na-stranded nang mahigit kalahating oras ang mga pasahero ng MRT sa Cubao EDSA nang bumagsak sa kawad ng MRT ang isang trapal na billboard. (Monitored from TV Patrol and Insider)

June 29, 2004: Pasado alas dose ng tanghali, bumagsak ang billboard ng Tweeds at Folded and Hung sa Guadalupe, Makati. Halos mapisa ang apat na sasakyan na nakapark sa katapat nitong AGS bldg. 

September 11, 2004: Bandang 5pm, isang billboard ng Adstrat na nasa ilalim ng tulay sa C5 ang bumagsak habang kalakasan ng hangin at ulan. Nagiba ang 15 bahay na nabagsakan. May dalawang taong nasugatan pero hindi naman daw grabe. 

September 22, 2005: Pagitan ng alas diyes y media at alas onse, nalipad ng hangin ang tarpauline ng billboard ni Sarah Geronimo mula sa southbound papunta sa northbound lane ng MRT. Ayon sa spokesperson ng MRT na si Mariano Gui, tinamaan ang gitnang bahagi ng tren at ang kable na nagsusupply ng kuryente sa tren. Naputol ang kable at nasira rin ang aircon.

May 15, 2006: Iniulat ng GMA News ang ilang mga billboards na lumalay sa kanto ng EDSA at Aurora Boulevard sa Cubao, at pati na rin sa South Luzon Expressway. Bumigay ang mga ito sa lakas ng hanging dulot ng bagyong Caloy.

July 11, 2006: Bumagsak ang dalawang patong ng billboard sa isang gusali sa kahabaan ng West Service sa pagitan ng Sucat at Bicutan dahil sa lakas ng hangin. Wala namang naiulat na nasaktan.

August 20, 2006: Bumagsak ang isang billboard sa kahabaan ng EDSA-Boni Avenue sa Mandaluyong dahil sa lakas ng hangin. Sumampa sa building ng MRT ang billboard kung kaya't di tuluyang nahulog sa kalsada, ngunit may tinamaan itong poste ng kuryente kaya nagkaroon ng brown out.

August 23, 2006: Nahulog ang isang tarpaulin sa EDSA sa bandang Bangkal, Makati. Sumabit ang tarpaulin sa mga kable ng kuryente kung kaya't nagdulot ito ng brown out. Papalitan na dapat ang billboard nang mabitawan ito dahil sa malakas na hangin.

September 28, 2006: Dahil sa lakas ng hangin dala ng bagyong Milenyo, nagbagsakan ang mga billboards sa Kamaynilaan. Isang tsuper, si Felipe Gumapon, ang napatay nang madaganan ng isang malaking billboard ang apat na sasakyan sa kanto ng EDSA at Estrella Street sa Makati. Sa Pasay, may mga manggagawang nasugatan nang mabagsakan din ng billboard  Isang bus naman ang nabagsakan ng billboard sa Magallanes interchange, pero wala namang nasaktan.

MGA UMAAKYAT NG BILLBOARD
Source: iNEWS

November 2, 2004: Isang babae ang umakyat sa Starstruck billboard sa kanto ng EDSA at East Avenue sa Quezon City. Kinilala siyang si Lourdes Ibag. May hawak siyang bote ng patis na itinapon niya after 20 mins at kusang bumaba sa billboard. Nais lang daw niyang mabigyang pansin ang kanyang reklamo. Nanalo daw siya sa isang pa-contest ng isang kumpanya ng patis at hindi niya nakuha ang premyo.

November 28, 2004: isang babae ang tumalon mula sa isang billboard sa panulukan ng EDSA at East Avenue sa Quezon City. kinilala ang babae na si Pinky Estacio na taga-Paete, Laguna. Nakitang syang nakaupo sa tuktok ng billboard; lumambitin pero tila nagbago ng isip at nagpumilit iakyat muli ang katawan… bumitiw rin. Nasalo siya ng cushion bags ng rescue teams, pero tumalbog siya at lumagpak sa semento; nagtamo sya ng galos, pasa at maliit na basag (crack) sa bungo. Nasugatan ang isang bumbero nang mataamaan sya ni Estacio pagbagsak nito. Ayon sa mga kamag-anak ni Estacio, tumalon daw siya dahil sa problema sa asawa.

April 14, 2005: Nagbigti sa isang billboard sa Soldiers Hill, Barangay Putatan, Muntinlupa si Epifanio delos Santos, isang houseboy.

February 2, 2006: Isang lalaki ang umakyat sa mga bakal pang-billboard sa may Kamuning Station ng MRT. Kinilala siyang si Almario Eslao, 63 taong gulang. Kinumbinsi sya ng isang DZBB reporter (Rado Anakay) at MRT security personnel na bumaba. Sumama siya sa himpilan ng DZBB at nakausap si Arnold Clavio; inamin na marami syang problema.

March 12, 2006: Isang lalaki ang nagtangkang tumalon mula sa tuktok ng billboard sa kahabaan ng Marcos Highway, Barangay dela Paz, Pasig City. Kinilala syang si Michael Benson, 26 taong gulang. Problema sa pamilya (paghihiwalay ng magulang) ang sinasabing niyang dahilan ng pag-akyat sa billboard. Muntikan na syang mahulog nang madulas sa billboard, pero nakakapit. Kabilang ang ina nya sa mga nakaantabay sa paanan ng billboard para kumbinsihin syang bumaba. Nahimatay ito at kasamang isinugod sa ospital nang maibaba na si Benson ng mga bumbero mula sa billboard. 

October 2, 2006: Muling umakyat ng billboard sa Marcos Highway, Pasig City si Michael Benson. Sama ng loob sa ate nya ang idinahilan sa kanyang tangkang pagtalon mula sa kabitan ng billboard. Dumating ang mga bumbero upang makipagnegosasyon. Kusa syang bumaba matapos ang ilang oras dahil na rin sa pagod; pero bago tuluyang makababa, hinimatay sya at dinala sa ospital.

MMDA VS. BILLBOARDS
Source: iNEWS, INQ7

Giant billboard falls on bus, along Estrella St., EDSA, Makati City. Charlie Magno, GMANews.tv  


 

June 28, 2006: MMDA Sidewalk Clearing Operations Group personnel started taking down billboards on MRT property ("pader ng riles ng MRT") along EDSA in Mandaluyong. However, DOTC and the advertising company who put up the billboards (Trackworks Rail Advertising, Vending and Promotions Inc.) contested the clearing operation. Police arrested the MMDA personnel, who were released later that day.

Last September, Trackworks filed criminal and administrative charges against MMDA before the Ombudsman. Trackworks claimed that MMDA continued to dismantle billboards along MRT despite a court order stopping them from doing so.

July 20, 2006: MMDA personnel removed the following materials (including frames and posts) from stretches of EDSA, despite protests from those who put up the ads:

  • commercial streamers and banners along EDSA-Guadalupe
  • a billboard on a footbridge in EDSA-Balintawak
  • streamers under the MRT at EDSA West Avenue
COURT RULINGS ON BILLBOARDS
Source: Supreme Court

MMDA VS. TRACKWORKS

October 27, 1998: Metro Rail Transit Corp., Ltd. (MRTC) entered into a contract for advertising services with Trackworks Rail Transit Advertising, Vending and Promotions, Inc. (Trackworks), giving Trackworks the exclusive right to undertake advertising and promotional activities within and along the exterior and interior of the MRT 3 structure.

Thereafter, Trackworks proceeded to install commercial billboards, banners, signages and other forms of advertisement in the different parts of MRT 3.

January 29, 2001: MMDA requested Trackworks to dismantle the billboards purportedly in conformity with MMDA Regulation No. 96-009, prohibiting the posting, installation and display of any kind or form of billboards, signs, posts, streamers, in any part of the road, sidewalk, center island, posts, trees, parks and open space. Trackworks refused to comply and invoked its advertising contract with MRTC.

Consequently, MMDA started dismantling the billboards and streamers of Trackworks.

March 25, 2002: Pasig RTC Branch 155 ordered the MMDA to stop dismantling the signages, banners, and billboards installed by Trackworks at the MRT 3 along EDSA.

August 31, 2004 (decision): The Court of Appeals affirmed the Pasig RTC's order.

March 14, 2005 (resolution): The Court of Appeals denied MMDA's motion for reconsideration.

October 25, 2005 (decision): The Supreme Court denied MMDA's petition for review and upheld the Court of Appeals' ruling.

BILLBOARDS AND THE LAW
Source: iNEWS, INQ7, DPWH

DPWH Additional Rules and Regulations on Signs or Signboard Structures


Local Government Code
Section 458: Powers, Duties, Functions and Compensation (of the Sangguniang Panlungsod)

3 (iv) Regulate the display of and fix the license fees for signs, signboards, or billboards at the place or places where the profession or business advertised thereby is, in whole or in part, conducted;


National Building Code
Chapter 10.06 - SIGNS
Section 10.06.01 - General

(a) No signs or signboards shall be erected in such a manner as to confuse or obstruct the view or interpretation of any official traffic sign signal or device.

(b) No signboards shall be constructed as to unduly obstruct the natural view of the landscape, distract or obstruct the view of the public as to constitute a traffic hazard, or otherwise defile, debase, or offend the aesthetic and cultural values and traditions of the Filipino people.

13th Congress

a) House of Representatives

  • HB 4266 An Act to Regulate the Construction and Installation of Billboards and Signages

    • Date Filed: May 5, 2005

    • Principal Author: Jesus Reynaldo Aquino

    • Short Title:Billboard and Signage Act of 2005

    • Summary: The bill lists the prohibitions with regard to the installation of billboards and signages - a) those that obstruct the view of vehicular or pedestrian traffic; b) those on posts or walls that obstruct roadways and pedestrian lanes; c) those that take the space reserved for safety and informative road signs; d) those that block any rural or urban natural vista; among others

    • Bill Status: Pending with the Committee on Local Government since 2005-05-11

b) Senate

  • SB 1714 An Act Regulating the Placement of Billboards Signs

    • Date Filed: August 11, 2004

    • Principal Author: Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago

    • Short Title: Anti-Billboard Blight Act

    • Summary: It seeks to prohibit the constructions billboards at certain locations, including the following: in a position that obstructs or obscures the view of traffic that could endanger the life of pedestrians and motorists; within one thousand (1,000) feet of any interchange, right-of-way of any underpass, overpass, bridge, tunnel, or street intersection; within one thousand (1,000) feet circumference of a historic site, school, church, hospital, government building,  among other areas. It also sets the annual fee for a billboard permit  to P7,500.00.

    • Bill Status: Pending with the Committee on Public Works

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