Entire metro to adopt Makati's rules on billboards

MANILA, Philippines - The mayors of Metro Manila have agreed to adopt Makati City’s rules on billboard regulation for all billboards across the Metro.

In its regular meeting, the mayors who also compose the Metro Manila Council (MMC) that serves as the policy-making arm of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), have agreed to adopt Makati City’s regulation of billboard dimensions to include height, illumination and location.

“There is a need to establish a uniform billboard and signage ordinance in Metro Manila to ensure the public safety and address the worsening visual blight and clutter in the Metropolis caused by the unregulated outdoor billboard and signage. A uniform billboard and signage ordinance in Metro Manila will greatly improve the environment and the skyline of the Metropolis,” the MMC resolution said.

MMDA Chairman Francis Tolentino said Makati’s billboard regulation that was enacted through the passage of a city ordinance, is applicable to all Metro local government units.

"We can have an ordinance applicable to MMDA and all Metro local government units," he said.

The resolution also noted that there is imminent danger that some unregulated billboards may topple during a strong typhoon.

Makati’s billboard ordinance took effect last Monday. With the law, the city government has began evaluating all existing and proposed non-mobile billboards and signages in the city according to its provisions and guidelines on dimensions, height, illumination and location.

The city ordinance provides regulations covering all billboards and signages in the city, and has provided the legal basis for the city government to order the removal of billboards and signage that pose danger to city residents and the general public.

Makati Mayor Jejomar Erwin Binay said the new ordinance sets specific billboard dimensions and spacing between billboards at designated locations identified in the Billboard Location Map, which are classified as Area 1 (along Major Roads), Area 2 (along Secondary Roads) and Area 3 (Special Development Zones).

“The new billboard and signage ordinance of Makati will be strictly enforced by the city government primarily to ensure public safety. It is also intended to address concerns about visual blight and clutter and improve the city skyline and its environment,” Binay said.

Major roads categorized under Area 1 include EDSA, South Superhighway, Magallanes Avenue, Sen. Gil Puyat Avenue and Ayala Avenue.

Billboards or electronic displays in Area 1 must comply with the maximum allowable surface or display area in proportion to the width of the road. Billboards along roads more than 45 meters wide (147.6 feet) shall have a maximum surface area of 162 square meters (1,743.8 square feet); for road width from 20 to 45 meters (65.6 to 147.6 feet), maximum surface area shall be 81 square meters (871.9 square feet); for roads less than 20 meters wide (less than 65.6 feet), surface area shall be not more than 40 square meters (430.6 square feet).

In Area 1, a freestanding billboard or electronic display must not exceed 22.5 meters (73.8 feet) in height, which is to be measured from the average elevation of the surface of the natural ground or existing sidewalk or carriageway level (whichever is higher), up to the highest point of the billboard or any of its components.

The spacing requirements between billboards in Area 1 are also in proportion to the road width, as follows:  150 meters (492 feet) spacing for road width of 45 meters (147.6 feet); 100 meters (328 feet) for road width from 20 to 45 meters (65.6 feet to 147.6 feet); and 50 meters (164 feet) for road width of less than 20 meters (less than 65.6 feet).

Meanwhile, the maximum height of a building-mounted billboard in Area 1 must conform with the building height limit (BHL) requirements, non-obstruction of doors and windows, building code and zoning ordinance requirements, among others.

The Makati Zoning Administration Division of the Urban Development Department (ZAD-UDD) has now prioritized the updating of its inventory of current billboards or electronic displays in the city.  Inspection teams are being deployed to conduct ocular inspections of existing billboards and check their conformity to the new guidelines, starting with major thoroughfares like EDSA and South Superhighway.  The results of the evaluations will be the basis for the preparation of notifications to concerned billboard owners and advertisers.

Billboard owners and advertisers with existing materials in the city are also being urged to volunteer for evaluation and submit pertinent documents to ZAD. They may submit the current building permit, approved plan, picture of the billboard, and complete address at the ZAD office at second floor, old City Hall building along J.P. Rizal St., Poblacion, Makati.

Illegal and non-compliant billboards that will be identified during the inspections, on the other hand, will be recommended by the zoning office to the Office of the Building Official for dismantling.