Tuesday, February 26, 2008 Billboard owners to upgrade structures in 30 days
BILLBOARD owners and service providers will be given 30 days to meet the requirements of the National Structural Code of the Philippines by upgrading their outdoor structures.
National Building Code Development Office (NBCDO) executive director Emmanuel Cuntapay said they are set to meet with billboard owners and operators together with building officials to discuss the revisions on the structural code.
"The National Structural Code of the Philippines has recently been upgraded. Among the revisions mandate that materials used for the structure should resist at least 240 kilometers per hour (kph) of strong winds from 170 kph. For those who do not comply, we will be setting a deadline of one month for retrofitting," he said.
The meeting is set to be held on Thursday at the AFP Officers Club at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City.
Cuntapay hoped that the scheduled discussion with the advertising stakeholders would encourage them to self-abate and retrofit their structures.
At present, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is re-evaluating approximately 16,000 billboards nationwide, majority of illegal billboards are located in Metro Manila, adding that are also in the process of reassessment and revalidation of the structures, taking into consideration major factors under the NBC.
In a directive issued by DPWH Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane Jr., the department is currently inspecting and reassessing the safety and stability of all outdoor advertising structures and signages all over the country.
The DPWH is mandated under Administrative Order (AO) 160 and 160-A issued by Malacañang, to remove substandard billboards which may pose danger to the general public in times of emergency. (FP/Sunnex)
