THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC ) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
First Regular Session 
1 
S E N A T E  
S. B. No.3 7 1 4 
. 
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Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Constitution, Article 2, Section 9, provides: 
The State shall promote a just and dynamic social order that will ensure 
the prosperity and independence of the nation and free the people from poverty 
through policies that provide xxx an improved quality of life for all. 
Billboards and signs constitute a separate and distinct use of the land upon which they are 
placed and affect the use of adjacent streets, sidewalks and other public places and adjacent 
private places ogen to the public. The unregulated construction, placement and display of 
billboards constitute a public nuisance detrimental to the health, safety, convenience and welfare 
of the residents of the city. 
The proliferation in number, size and manner of outdoor advertising unreasonably 
distracts operators of motor vehicles and promotes confusion with regard to traffic lights, signs, 
or signals or other interference with the effectiveness of traffic regulations and is therefore 
hazardous to highway users. 
The excessive and inadequately controlled proliferation of 
billboards visible from highways endangers the uniqueness of our state and our communities and 
ow scenic beauty. 
Tourism and trade from both resident and nonresident highway users is an essential part 
of our economy. Tourist-oriented directional signs and logo signs offer businesses cost-effective 
means of announcing their presence to the highway users without harm to our state’s scenic 
beauty. 
The erection and maintenance of new outdoor advertising signs, displays and devices in 
areas adjacent to Interstate highways, primary highways, and all state roads should be prohibited 
in order to protect the public investment in such highways, preserve the state’s scenic beauty and 
distinctiveness, and promote the general health and welfare of the motoring public. 
This Act seeks to regulate all billboards in order to: 
1. reduce traffic hazards caused by such unregulated signs which may distract and 
2. ensure the effectiveness of public traffic signs and signals; 
3. protect property values by ensuring the compatibility of property with that 
4. provide an attractive visual environment throughout the country; 
5. protect the character and appearance of the various neighborhoods in the city; attract 
6. protect the public investment in streets, highways, and o ther public improvements; 
confuse, and impair the visibility of, motorists and pedestrians; 
surrounding it; 
tourists to the country; and 
and protect and improve the public health, safety, and general welfare. 


THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC ) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
First Regular Session 
1 
S E N A T E  
S. B. No.17 14 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
AN ACT 
REGULATING THE PLACEMENT OF BILLBOARDS SIGNS 
SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the “Anti-Billboard Blight Act.” 
SECTION 2. Decluvution of Policy. - It i s  the declared policy of the State to ensure an 
improved quality of life for all, and to protect the scenery and environment. 
SECTION 3. Definition of Terms. - As used in this Act the term: 
(1) “Billboard” means an identification, description, illustration, or device which is 
affixed to or represented directly or indirectly upon a building, structure, or land and which 
directs attention to a product, place, activity, person, institution or business. 
(2) “Off-Premise Billboard” means a business billboard which directs the attention of the 
public to the business or activity conducted or product or service sold or offered at a location not 
on the same premises where such business sign is located. 
(3) “DPWH’ means the Department of Public Works and Highways. 
(4) “MMDA” means the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority. 
(5) “DOT” means the Department of Tourism. 
SECTION 4. Regulation of Off-Site Signs and Billboards. - Any off-premise sign erected 
after the effective date of this Act shall comply with the following standards: 
(1) No billboard shall be located in a position that obstructs or obscures the view of 
vehicular or pedestrian traffic in such a manner as to endanger the safe niovenieiit thereof. 
(2) Each billboard shall be set back at least twenty-five (25) feet from any road or street 
right-of-way line, measured from the closest part of the billboard. 


(3) N o  billboard shall b e 1 ocated within one thousand ( 1,000) feet of any interchange, 
within one thousand (1,000) feet of any right-of-way of any undeipass, overpass, bridge or 
tunnel, or within one thousand (1,000) feet of any street intersection. 
(4) All billboards shall be erected in conformity with the front, side and rear yard 
requirements of the district in which they are located. 
(5) No billboard shall be erected within a one thousand (1,000) feet circumference of the 
nearest property line of any of the following: 
(a) historic site 
(b) school 
(c) church 
(d) hospital 
(e) retirement or nursing home 
(0 cemetery 
(8) governmental building 
(h) public park 
(i) playground 
(j) recreation area 
(lc) convention center 
(1) or any area in which billboards are prohibited. 
(6) No billboard shall be permitted whenever property zoned as residential would be 
between the sign and the roadway toward which it is oriented. 
(7) No part or foundation or support of any billboard shall be placed on, in, or over any 
private property without the written consent of the property owner. 
(8) No part or foundation or support of any billboard shall be placed on, in, or over any 
public property, including public rights-of-way, or any utility or drainage easement, or upon 
telephone or utility poles, or natural features such as trees and rocks. 
(9) No billboard shall be erected or maintained upon or above the roof of any building 
structure. 


(10) No billboard shall be constructed on a lot where it obscures or shades the windows 
or doorways of adjacent buildings. 
(1 I) No two billboards located upon, or oriented towards traffic traveling upon, the same 
side of a public street or road with four (4) or more lanes shall be spaced less than two thousand 
(2,000) feet apart; on the same side of public streets or roads with less than four lanes, the 
spacing shall be no less than one thousand (1,000) feet apart. This distance shall be measured 
along a straight line between the two nearest points of the signs. The minimum spacing 
requirement shall not apply to two panels viewed from different directions which share a 
common support structure. Nor shall any billboard be located within a one thousand foot (1,000 
ft.) radius of any other billboard even though the two billboards are on different streets. 
(12) No billboard shall exceed three hundred square feet (300 sq. ft.) in total surface 
display area. 
(13) Billboards may be single-faced or double-faced but no billboard shall contain more 
than one face on each side of the display and the surface area shall not exceed a total area of 
three hundred square feet (300 sq. ft.) per structure [face]. 
(14) No billboard shall be permitted which, because of its size, shape, or location, may 
obscure or obstruct the view of vehicular or pedestrian traffic or be confused with any authorized 
traffic control sign, signal, or device. 
(15) No billboard shall be permitted which, because of its size, shape, or location, may 
impair any scenic vista from the highway or a building adjacent to the highway or to the 
billboard. 
(16) No billboard shall exceed fifty (50) feet in height. This distance shall be measured 
from ground level at the base of the billboard's support system to the highest point of the 
billboard. 
SECTION 6. Permit Fee and Inventory of Billboards. - 
(1) As of the effective date of this Act, the annual fee for a billboard permit for a new 
construction of a billboard shall be Seven Thousand Five Hundred Pesos (P7,500.00). 


(2) The DPWH in coordination with the MMDA shall use additional revenues resulting 
from subsection (1) to conduct a thorough countrywide inventory of all billboards, including 
plotting the exact location of each sign, determining whether or not each sign has a valid permit 
from the DPWH, MMDA and any local government agency charged with regulating billboards. 
SECTION 7. Assisting Entities. - In compiling this inventory mentioned in Section 6, the 
DPWH shall cooperate with billboard permit holders, local governments, the MMDA, non- 
governmental organizations and citizens groups concerned with scenic conservation and 
transportation. 
SECTION 8. Development of Ofjcial Business Directional Signs. - The DOT is directed 
to develop, construct and contract with public and private entities for the consmction and 
maintenance of official business directional signs in addition to any such signs currently operated 
by the DOT. The DOT shall consult with scenic conservation groups, businesses and business 
organizations, and local governments to facilitate the development of these signs in such a way 
as to allow businesses to reach the traveling public without the deleterious impact of billboards 
on scenery. 
SECTION 9. Separability Clause. - If any provisions or part hereof, is invalid or 
unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise affected shall remain 
valid and subsisting. 
SECTION 10. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive 
order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to or inconsistent 
with, the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed, modified, or amended accordingly. 
SECTION 11. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days afler its 
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved, 
iaea