Friday, August 17, 2007 Anti-billboard drive revived By Ben O. Tesiorna
THE regional office of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) will revive their campaign against illegal billboards in Davao Region in time for the typhoon season.
DPWH-Southern Mindanao Director Hadji Pundidatu Mitmug said they, however, expect fewer billboards to dismantle this time after they have already demolished most of the billboards that have violated the road right of way.
He said only 20 percent of the 1,226 illegal billboards in Southern Mindanao have remained standing.
Mitmug added that those found outside the road right of way have already been reinforced by the owners so as to avoid possible collapse once strong winds hit the structure.
"Kokonti na lang naman ang naiwan dito sa region eh. Siguro mga 20% na lang ang naiwan sa mga identified billboards na nag-violate. Yung ibang nasa labas ng road right of way, ni-reinforce na ng mga may-ari yung structures (there were only few which remained here in the region. Maybe somewhere around 20 percent were left from those identified to have violated. The others were outside road right of way, and the owners already reinforced the structures)," Mitmug said.
A total of 20,340 illegal structures and billboards in Southern Mindanao ere found to have violated the law prohibiting structures within the national road right of way.
Of the total number, 1,226 are billboards while 19,114 are illegal structures like shanties, vulcanizing shops, sari-sari stores and the like.
