The House of Representatives has endorsed for Senate approval the bill banning the use of billboards during typhoons.
This, after lawmakers, voting 205 affirmative, zero negative, and four abstentions, approved on third and final reading House Bill 7174, or the proposed Bawal Billboard Tuwing Bagyo Act.
The bill states that the billboard operator will take down outdoor advertising materials within 12 hours following an official weather disturbance announcement of Typhoon Signal No. 1, or any other significant weather disturbance by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration.
Penalties will be imposed on billboard operators or any person who violates the provisions of the bill. A fine of not less than P300,000 or imprisonment of six months to one year will be imposed to the guilty party.
Deputy Speaker Bro. Eddie Villanueva and Rep. Domingo Rivera of CIBAC party-list, authors of the bill, said while a total ban on billboards would be economically unfeasible given the amount of revenue and jobs that it generates, especially in the advertising field, a step forward in the regulation of billboards is the prohibition on its active use during a calamity or severe weather disturbance.
“Billboards are undeniably a mark of a progressing economy. However, public safety should not be compromised. As our country is frequented by typhoons, strict regulation of billboard use must be done to safeguard people and properties,” Villanueva said.
HB 7174 indicates that it is the policy of the State to mitigate the risk of billboard-related incidents during typhoons; therefore, operations of billboards during weather disturbances must be banned for the safety of motorists and pedestrians.
The bill wants the prohibition to be effective for the entire duration of the typhoon. This includes tarpaulin-based billboards to be taken down, while electronic-based billboards shall be switched off.
“If there is a typhoon signal, even if it is still signal number 1, but accompanied by strong winds, it should be a standard operating procedure to all operators to bring down their billboards for the safety of people and their properties” Rivera, for his part, said.