Thursday, August 09, 2007 Giant billboards still loom in city By Carlo P. Mallo
BARELY a year after President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo ordered the Department of Public Works and Highways to tear down all illegal billboards in the country, giant billboards still loom along major thoroughfares in wanton violation of regulations.
Joey Luz-Chua, managing director of Western Advertising and Construction Inc. and a member of the Davao Outdoor Advertising Association (DOAA), said Wednesday a large number of billboards in the city that exceed the specified standards dot city streets.
"The billboards located near Bankerohan bridge does not only violate the 25 meter rule, it also poses as hazards to the shanties located underneath it," Luz-Chua said.
The 25-meter rule is a provision in the building code which states that all billboards must not be located within 25 meters from the center lane of the national road.
In October of 2006, Arroyo signed Administrative Order (AO) 160 that mandated the DPWH to abate and bring down billboards, whether commercial or otherwise, throughout the country, during the aftermath of the havoc of typhoon Milenyo.
AO 160 provides that all billboards that pose eminent danger or threat to life, health safety, and property of the public; violates applicable laws, rules and regulations; constructed within the easements of the road right of way; and those constructed without the necessary permit, shall be abated or brought down by the DPWH.
The official report of the Outdoor Advertisers Association of the Philippines (OAAP), mother organization of DOAA, said at least 40 billboards have fallen during the onslaught of Milenyo.
Under the law, the allowable size of a billboard is 3.6 meters tall with a surface area of not more than 30 square meters. Aside from the size, it must not be situated or placed on the roof of structures, especially if the billboards used are made of wood, steel and iron while billboards that may block traffic signs and electricity cables must be removed.
Only those allowed to be placed on concrete roofs are billboards made of neon signs and electronic signage because these are lighter.
The onslaught of the typhoon season in the country has again brought the limelight on the hazards posed by the gigantic billboards to the general public.
