Senate passes into law outright ban on billboards along highways

The Senate passed last night, with a vote of 13-0, an act regulating the use of billboards in the country, almost a month after typhoon "Milenyo" wrought havoc in Metro Manila and Luzon, resulting in the death of almost 200 people, including a driver whose vehicle was pinned down by a collapsed billboard along EDSA in Makati City.

Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago, who sponsored the bill, said the act imposes an outright ban on billboards on highways that obstruct or obscure the view of vehicular or pedestrian traffic, billboards in residential areas, billboards on any public property such as streets and highways, telephone or utility poles, and billboards on the roof of any building. "No billboard shall be located within one thousand feet of any interchange, within one thousand feet of any right-of-way of any underpass, overpass, bridge or tunnel, or within one thousand feet of any street intersection," section three of the act said.

Billboards shall not be erected within a thousand feet circumference of the nearest property line of historical sites, schools, churches, hospitals, retirement or nursing homes, cemeteries, government buildings, public parks, playgrounds, recreation areas, or convention centers.

The Santiago bill was certified urgent by President Arroyo.

Santiago has long been advocating the dismantling of billboards, which she deemed dangerous to public safety. In a privilege speech titled "We are living in Billboard Hell" delivered last month, Santiago denounced the P1.8-billion a year outdoor advertising industry.

"All your high technology and rationalizing glossolaloia will not resurrect those who are dead," Santiago said.