Tolentino said that the first guideline deals with the issuance of structural and locational clearances for billboard operators. It provides that local government units, through the Office of the Mayor shall issue locational and structural clearances or permits within their respective jurisdictions. The local chief executives could also order the demolition or removal of signs that violate any law or ordinance, enlisting the assistance of the MMDA if necessary.
The second regulation governs content. It states that all advertisers, owners and operators of billboards shall, in accordance with self-regulation adhere to their respective group or association’s Code of Ethics for advertising and promotions.
The third guideline deals with billboard height and size requirements. Billboard and billboard structures shall not be allowed along Roxas Boulevard and Macapagal Avenue, while in all other areas in Metro Manila, the height limits for billboard and billboard structures shall be determined by the local government units.
The MMDA, on the other hand, shall enforce and implement the National Building Code provisions on billboards along major and national thoroughfares falling within its jurisdiction.
The regulation also provides for setback requirements, imposes a one hundred-meter minimum radius between signs and prohibits roof signs.
It also creates a Billboard Office headed by Mayor Del de Guzman of Marikina. The Billboard Office shall exercise appellate or oversight function to review and regulate all advertising signs along major thoroughfares of Metro Manila. It may on its own accord or upon a filed complaint, review the contents of any billboard advertising sign.
The guideline on locational and structural clearance and on height and size limitations further provide that effective January 1st, 2012, all existing billboard building permits, business permits and clearances shall be disregarded or canceled, and all billboard sign owners shall be required to apply for clearances or permits anew from their respective local government units. Owners and operators of billboards along major thoroughfares such as EDSA, C-5, Roxas Boulevard and Macapagal Avenue shall obtain a clearance from the MMDA.
Meanwhile, all billboard owners are required to submit their existing permits to the MMDA and their respective local government units for verification and validation.
The three guidelines were released after a final consultative meeting held today at the MMDA office in Makati which attended by Mayors Del de Guzman (Marikina), Sherwin Gatchalian (Valenzuela), Aldrin San Pedro (Muntinlupa), Herbert Bautista (Quezon City), Jaime Medina (Pateros), Vice Mayor Luis Bustamante (Las Pinas) and a representative from the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board.
Representatives from the Outdoor Advertising Association of the Philippines (OAAP), the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP), the Ad Standards Council (ASC), the Advertising Board of the Philippines (AdBoard), the Association of Accredited Advertising Agencies – Philippines (4As) and other representatives of billboard operators and advertisers also participated in the consultation.
In relation to the self-regulation aspect of the billboard content guidelines, representatives of the billboard operators and advertisers expressed their enthusiasm and support for the appellate function and oversight of the newly-created Billboard Office.
The MMDA has intensified its crackdown on billboards violating the provision of the National Building Code.
On July 11, Tolentino personally led the dismantling of several billboards in Quezon City, Pasay and Mandaluyong and mong the billboards torn down included the ads featuring actresses Anne Curtis and Angel Locsin in Boni Avenue-Mandaluyong showing both of them clad in brassieres, for being offensive or lewd as well as the ads of Azkal’s skipper Ali Borromeo and Phil Younghusband located along North-EDSA, Santolan, Crame and Guadalupe in Makati.
Authorities also dismantled an underwear ad of the Philippine Volcanoes, the country’s rugby team along EDSA-Guadalupe.
The crackdown against erring billboards and other ads is part of the MMDA’s “Operation Roll Down, Baby” campaign against illegal billboards that started last May.
Earlier, the MMDA said there are 80-90 billboards per kilometer in EDSA. Overall, some 2, 000 such structures are located along the thoroughfare with the bulk of the structures located in Makati city, the country’s business and financial capital, and in Pasay, Quezon City and Mandaluyong. (PNA)
