Republic ofthe Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Maaiia

FIFTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

introduced by Honorable Roilo Golez

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Entitled “AN ACT REGULATIN OF BILLBOARDS SIGN." also known
as “Billboard Rationalization Act, ate Bill No. 1714, authored
by Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago during the 13th Congress and was sublituted with Senate
Bill No. 2482 as reported by the Senate Committee on Public Works, through Committee Report
No. 110.

Last 28 September 2006, Typhoon Milenyo had proved that the giant billboards along the
South Superhighway, EDSA and other major thoroughfares are indeed Killers and ultra hazardous
to people and property and even before said typhoon, there have been instances of such billboards
causing damage to property and serving as traffic hazards. Being in the typhoon belt, we can
expect more killer billboard accidents if they are not taken down nox

in addition to the murders and mass destruction they could cause, those
billboards are eyesores that uglify the Metro Skyline (the older generations would remember
Guadalupe used to be a beautiful picturesque “gulod,” a rock formation ang the Pasig River, with
ihe San Carlos Seminary on top of the hil, but that pretty view was stolen by those giant billboards,
an irony that sexy advertisements enveloped a religious, holy seminary)

general public support and only the Outdoor Advertising Association of the Philippines and Justice
Secrelary Raul Gonzalez offering resistance ir { free speech. This is one rare
opportunity for the feaders, both national and local, admit id opposition, to demonstrate
that we as a people can get our act together.

Sf

Ih view of the foregoing premises, the approval of this bill is earnestly sought

\\ ROILO GOLEZ



Republic ofthe Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

FIFTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House BillNo._ 313.

Introduced by Honorable Roilo Golez

AN ACT
REGULATING THE PLACEMENT OF BILLBOARDS SIGNS
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives in Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Title. - This Act shall be known and cited as the “Billboard Rationalization
Act’

SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is 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 movement thereof.

(2) Each billboard shall be set back at least ten (10) meters from any road or street right-of-
way line, measured from the closest part of the billboard.

(3) No billboard shall be located within three hundred five (305) meters of any interchange,
within three hundred five (305) meters of any right-of-way of any underpass, overpass,
bridge or tunnel, or within three hundred five (305) meters of any street intersection


(4) All bilboards 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 three hundred five (305) meters 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
(cemetery

(g) governmental building

(h) public park

(i) playground

()) recreation area

(k) convention center

() 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.

(11)No two billboards located upon, or oriented towards traffic traveling upon, the same side of
@ public street or road with four (4) or more lanes shall be spaced less than six hundred
ten (610) meters apart; on the same side of public streets or roads with less than four
lanes, the spacing shall be no less than three hundred five (305) meters 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 three hundred five (305) meters radius of any other billboard even though
the two billboards are on different streets.

(12)No billboard shall exceed twenty eight square meters (28 sq. m.) 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
twenty eight square meters (28 sq. m.) 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 fifteen (15) meters 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.

(17) No billboard structure shall be built that will not withstand wind gusts of less than two
hundred forty (240) kilometers per hour, and not withstand an earthquake with a
magnitude of less than seven (7) on the Richter scale.

(18) No billboard structure shall be built with an overhang, All billboard structures shall, from
the ground up, have the same size as its base.

SECTION 5. 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 6. Insurance. - No billboard structure shall be erected without a mandatory
insurance coverage, with Third Party Liability, the amount of which is to be determined by the
DPWH.

SECTION 7. Enforcement of the Act. - It shall be the primary duty of the DPWH to
effectively enforce the provisions of this Act.

SECTION 8. Liability of Officers. - Any officer of the duly designated enforcement agency
who fails or neglect to enforce the provisions of this act shall be liable administratively and in
addition, shall be fined of no les than twenty thousand pesos (20,000.00) and not more than
‘one hundred thousand pesos (100,000.00). The filing of criminal charges against the erring
officer is not barred by this provision.

SECTION 9. Assisting Entries — In compiling this inventory mentioned in Section 6, the
DPWH shall cooperate with billboard permit holders, local governments, the MMDA,
nongovernmental organizations and citizens groups concerned with scenic conservation and
transportation.

SECTION 10. Development of Official Business Directional Signs. - The DOT is directed
to develop, construct and contract with public and private entities for the construction 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 govemments 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 11. Transitory Provision. — All billboard structures not conforming, with the
provisions of this act shall immediately be dismantled by their owners or corrected accordingly.

SECTION 12. 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 13. Repealing Clause. ~ Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive
order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule of regulation contrary to or inconsistent
with, the provisions ofthis Act is hereby repealed, modified, or amended accordingly

SECTION 14. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,