Friday, October 06, 2006 Aguilar: They obscure the view By George Aguilar Rational Animal
NOT only do billboards obscure the scenery, most of the time they are down right ugly and even obscene.
How would you like it when a picture of a fifty-foot picture of a giant man clad only in his underwear or that of a girl of barely legal wearing a bra and panty were to greet you every morning as you drive your children to school. Last time we visited Manila my children would exclaim “ay bastos!” whenever we passed by a billboard.
But billboards are not only ugly, they can also kill as our recent encounter with “Milenyo” has shown. At the height of Milenyo’s onslaught a motorist was reported to have been killed when a billboard along EDSA fell on him. Billboards also destroyed buildings and power lines and created traffic jams all over Manila.
When asked to explain the government’s inability to regulate billboards all that Ebdane could say, according to a Philippine Daily Inquirer news report, was “Experience is the best teacher”. This moronic statement from the GMA appointee failed to endear the government to the growingly critical public.
“We should learn from our experience with Milenyo,” said Ebdane. “Duh” was the prompt reply. Why should we always have to wait for someone to die before we start doping things right. Clearly we do not have a pro-active government. And not only is this government reactive rather than pro-active, its mediocrity is surpassed only by its corruption.
On TV, Ebdane said in a John Wayne like manner that billboards located within 10 meters from highways should have been torn down. MMDA Chairman Bayani Fernando added that if he had his way, there would be no billboards along EDSA, the South Luzon Expressway and the North Luzon Expressway based on the principle of road right of way. What intelligent assessments coming from our government officials.
But why just those billboards near highways? All billboards should be torn down because billboards can kill and destroy property when they fall or collapse even if they are not near as highway!
As a way of an excuse Ebdane admitted that his department had no record of the billboards, or if these had permits in the first place. He said that there were really some gross violations on the part of the billboard owners. Many of the billboards that fell were rusting.
It was really just a matter of time, Milenyo just hastened the collapse. Ebdane said that he will conduct technical inspections on the ground to determine the actual situation and study the structures. Better late than never!
Billboard owners issued a statement asking the public not to blame their billboards for the death of the motorist whose vehicle was crushed by the toppled billboard structure. Maybe they were insinuating that it was the motorist’s fault for being there when the billboard fell. Maybe dengue did it?
Billboards are not only a public hazard they are an insult to our intelligence. Why should we allow a few enterprising groups to obscure the scenery with their ugly commercials in the sky?
Nobody owns the sky, the sunset, and the view so why should anyone be allowed to clutter it with junk? The most important argument against billboards is also the most basic and simple. It obscures the view.
(October 6, 2006 issue) Write letter to the editor. Click here. Join the Sun.Star message board. Click here.
