A mangled metropolis
October 7, 2006 | 12:00am
Images of typhoon Milenyo’s destruction filled the papers and TV screens over the weekend. The large number of billboards that collapsed – causing destruction of property, widespread mayhem and death – has brought back calls for their removal and a total ban from the metropolis.
There were, of course, other aspects of the disaster that added to the catastrophe. The usual flooding, power outages and fallen trees all contributed to this annual drama that we never seem to learn from. I will touch on these later, but all these perennial problems were overshadowed by the terror wrought by tons of twisted steel collapsing on buildings, streets, cars and people.
I had to venture to Lipa on business two days after the storm and saw firsthand just how many of these steel latticework structures collapsed on EDSA and SLEX. I counted over 20 (or half of the reported total that fell in Metro Manila). More incredible was a quote from the local billboard association that the number of those that fell compared to the total was still "good." That statement probably had a context, but regardless, it shows how little businessmen value public safety and human life.
This column covered the issue of billboard blight four years ago when huge billboards were just starting to proliferate. The issue then was mainly visual pollution – the cluttering up of the cityscape with commercial messages and images that blocked the few views left of the metropolitan skyline (and even of the sky itself.) The argument from the billboard builders was that there was little of interest anyway in the city, and billboards provided a colorful alternative to informal settlements and garbage.
Blight over blight does not make any sense to most sane people but obviously outdoor advertisers believe otherwise. The proliferation then was already so intense that the efficacy of these billboards was questioned. Too many messages resulted in sensory overload that turned people off the message and added to the stress of driving. Studies conducted locally already showed reduced recall when too many billboards were spaced too close together. The issue died down in the noise of other controversies and public scandals.
Four years hence, billboards have spread like a disease over the whole metro region. The average size also increased by quantum leaps because of the magic of digital tarpaulin printing and the competition of increased numbers seeking precious air space and sight lines.
Steel frames sprouted like mad with nary a thought to the potential dangers of collapse because of the mild typhoons these past five seasons – then Milenyo struck.
The wholesale failure of this new crop of billboards can be traced to several factors. One factor, however, that definitely should not be blamed is the typhoon itself. Milenyo was not the most powerful we’ve seen in our lifetime. It was the strongest in 11 years, yes, but the fact is that modern structures are supposed to withstand events that happen once in a century. In canal, river revetment, dam and bridge design, engineers make sure the structures can stand the so-called hundred-year floods, a worst-case scenario that assures safety for generations of users. After the earthquakes of 1966 (remember the Ruby Tower disaster?), Filipino engineers increased the factor of safety used in the structural design of buildings. Of course, the earthquakes of 1991 saw many buildings topple in Baguio and the north but many of these were compromised because of illegal additions or faulty construction, which should have been monitored by building officials.
The expectation is that today’s structures should be able to (literally) stand the seasonal onslaught of typhoons and not crumple as quickly as many did. So why were these flawed structures allowed to be built? Why were they issued building permits by local building officials?
The National Building Code is clear in its requirements for billboard structures, which are the basis for building permits. These structures must carry their own weight plus whatever forces act laterally on it (like wind). A licensed structural engineer must submit a design that will guarantee the structure does not collapse (the professional liability covers 25 years). Enormous forces are generated by even a minor typhoon’s wind on a typical Manila billboard – whose average surface area is bigger than even those that power mighty sailing ships that ply the seas even today. The fact that many billboards collapsed even with these tarps rolled up points to something very wrong in their design and the permit-granting process.
Yes, billboard companies roll up their tarps before a storm – at least that’s what they promise to do to prevent the fabric being shredded and getting tangled in the electrical wires and cables that freely festoon our demented city. The fact is that it is impossible to expect all these billboards’ tarps to be rolled up in time. Last week many were not. How can we entrust the safety of a 10- or 15-story structure to a process so unreliable? Even with the tarps rolled up, much of the lashing is obviously hurried and easily undone. Torn tarp is a reality everyone has observed. Such debris has already caused damage to the MRT recently.
The billboard association’s spokesperson explained on television that the current crop of billboards was designed to adequately withstand the average winds of the strongest typhoons in the last 10 years only because of the fact that the leases for these structures were only between five and ten years so it was a business decision. Nature does not honor business decisions.
Wind velocity is measured in kilometers per hour and typhoons are rated by maximum sustained wind speed (for a 10-minute period). Engineering designs for billboard structures must take into account not only this maximum speed but also something called the "gust factor." Australian meteorology officials rate the severity of their typhoons by this gust factor, which shows the true nature of typhoons. Gusts can be 30 to 40 percent stronger than sustained maximum wind speeds. It is these gusts that can quickly put a skyscraper-high billboard on its knees. Gusts and accelerated winds also develop in certain specific areas like escarpments or drops in topography (an example is the SLEX portion from Bicutan to Alabang). There is really more to dealing with typhoon winds than just template calculations based on isolated sites.
All this said, there is more to the National Building Code’s requirements. In the section for towers and spires, restrictions are defined for the maximum area of the roof any such structure can occupy. It definitely is not the 100 percent coverage that many billboard frames occupy today. Almost all of these also sit on buildings not originally designed to carry the additional load. One wonders what kinds of considerations were met for permits to be given for these to be built.
After the permits are given, there is often the opportunity to take liberties with the design and construction of the steel frames. The MMDA has noticed the lack of connector bolts in some of the structures that collapsed. Obvious, too, is the fact that parts of these fallen wrecks are rusted or corroded; apart from often looking too slim to hold up even its own weight. All these deficiencies, of course, were covered by the very tarpaulins they supported. One wonders how often the building officials responsible had checked these structures in the last few years. By code, they are supposed to be inspected yearly. Billboard companies also have to maintain these structures and not just let them deteriorate past their lease-contract life.
Beyond structural engineering, the code stipulates clearly that billboards cannot distract motorists nor mar the cultural or historic sights of the city. By the very nature of their attractiveness, billboards call your attention otherwise they are useless, so by the most rational interpretation, billboards should not be allowed on major thoroughfares. They are illegal and unsafe. The fact is that the code also states that no commercial signs are allowed within the rights-of-way of major roads. This makes all the banners, billboards, signs and streamers we see on MRT/LRT pylons, streetlights and pedestrian overpasses illegal and subject to removal. But who will remove them? The courts seem to be taking the side of business and their perceived right to lord it over poor passersby and motorists.
Locational clearance also has to be given for the construction of these billboards. They should not be placed beside power substations, alongside high-tension lines, hospitals, schools, train tracks, flyovers or intersections, yet permits were given to countless billboards. Does the need for fees collection override considerations for public safety in the cities and municipalities of Metro Manila?
It is a good thing that celebrity endorsers are now publicly saying they would not like their killer images used on killer billboards. Major companies that advertise heavily via billboards are under pressure to join this bandwagon lest they be seen as callous commercial entities only after profit. There are calls to boycott both the celebrities and the companies that continue to use giant billboards as their venue of choice. This is a good idea. There should be no turning back. If we, the public blink, then we will be bullied by the billboard lobbyists sooner than we can say Kris Aquino!
It’s game over for huge billboards. But this is not to say that outdoor advertising will collapse. In other countries where there is strict regulation (comparatively, a ban on billboards compared to here) then other venues like transit stations, building facades, sidewalk kiosks, bus and taxi bodies generate new opportunities commanding premium rates – more than enough to offset the loss of regular billboard revenue.
Severe restrictions and control can start the metropolis’ much-needed urban renewal. There is too much clutter around us. Unremoved old foundations for light posts, old disused bus stops, forgotten monuments, irrelevant street signs, old political billboards (supposedly civic and the only ones allowed by law within road rights-of-way), and the flotsam and jetsam of our urban existence choke us almost to death.
While we are starting this much-needed cleanup, let’s not throw the baby out with the bathwater. Urban trees are needed. The reason why many fell last week is also due to a variety of reasons. Lack of maintenance is a major factor. Trees are living things and like human beings become fragile if not nurtured well. Many of the ones that fell had their root systems compromised by building construction beside them that led to their roots being cut. The lack of adequate or properly designed planting beds and green strips wide enough for trees also led to compaction of the earth around their root systems. This leads to a weakened anchorage. Then there is the wrong choice of tree species in some locations and improper spacing of trees along roads.
Unlike billboards, however, trees contribute positively to the environment rather than add blight. They mitigate air pollution and filter noise. Studies have shown that green spaces, trees and plants in the urban landscape can reduce stress for residents of cities.
But street tree planting is not as simple as sticking a sapling into a small hole in the sidewalk. Proper tree holes with several cubic meters of good soil are required to make sure a tree grows to its full and robust majesty. There is also a code and guidelines actually were drafted by the MMDA and the Philippine Association of Landscape Architects. This green guidelines pamphlet has been available from the MMDA since 1992 but few municipalities care to follow the rational steps clearly outlined in it. The guideline even lists all the species of trees suited to specific types and widths of roads and planting strips.
If we ban billboards and plant trees, we are left with floods and power outages to wrestle with when the next super typhoon comes. This needs another article and I have run out of space. I do hope that we can keep the pressure on this billboard issue to get it resolved. With elections coming next year, the prospect of commercial billboards replaced by political ones is a tomorrow too bleak to contemplate. What? More of Kris Aquino… this time endorsing some politicos?
We should start praying now.
Feedback is welcome. Please e-mail the writer at paulo.alcazaren@gmail.com.
There were, of course, other aspects of the disaster that added to the catastrophe. The usual flooding, power outages and fallen trees all contributed to this annual drama that we never seem to learn from. I will touch on these later, but all these perennial problems were overshadowed by the terror wrought by tons of twisted steel collapsing on buildings, streets, cars and people.
I had to venture to Lipa on business two days after the storm and saw firsthand just how many of these steel latticework structures collapsed on EDSA and SLEX. I counted over 20 (or half of the reported total that fell in Metro Manila). More incredible was a quote from the local billboard association that the number of those that fell compared to the total was still "good." That statement probably had a context, but regardless, it shows how little businessmen value public safety and human life.
This column covered the issue of billboard blight four years ago when huge billboards were just starting to proliferate. The issue then was mainly visual pollution – the cluttering up of the cityscape with commercial messages and images that blocked the few views left of the metropolitan skyline (and even of the sky itself.) The argument from the billboard builders was that there was little of interest anyway in the city, and billboards provided a colorful alternative to informal settlements and garbage.
Blight over blight does not make any sense to most sane people but obviously outdoor advertisers believe otherwise. The proliferation then was already so intense that the efficacy of these billboards was questioned. Too many messages resulted in sensory overload that turned people off the message and added to the stress of driving. Studies conducted locally already showed reduced recall when too many billboards were spaced too close together. The issue died down in the noise of other controversies and public scandals.
Four years hence, billboards have spread like a disease over the whole metro region. The average size also increased by quantum leaps because of the magic of digital tarpaulin printing and the competition of increased numbers seeking precious air space and sight lines.
Steel frames sprouted like mad with nary a thought to the potential dangers of collapse because of the mild typhoons these past five seasons – then Milenyo struck.
The wholesale failure of this new crop of billboards can be traced to several factors. One factor, however, that definitely should not be blamed is the typhoon itself. Milenyo was not the most powerful we’ve seen in our lifetime. It was the strongest in 11 years, yes, but the fact is that modern structures are supposed to withstand events that happen once in a century. In canal, river revetment, dam and bridge design, engineers make sure the structures can stand the so-called hundred-year floods, a worst-case scenario that assures safety for generations of users. After the earthquakes of 1966 (remember the Ruby Tower disaster?), Filipino engineers increased the factor of safety used in the structural design of buildings. Of course, the earthquakes of 1991 saw many buildings topple in Baguio and the north but many of these were compromised because of illegal additions or faulty construction, which should have been monitored by building officials.
The expectation is that today’s structures should be able to (literally) stand the seasonal onslaught of typhoons and not crumple as quickly as many did. So why were these flawed structures allowed to be built? Why were they issued building permits by local building officials?
The National Building Code is clear in its requirements for billboard structures, which are the basis for building permits. These structures must carry their own weight plus whatever forces act laterally on it (like wind). A licensed structural engineer must submit a design that will guarantee the structure does not collapse (the professional liability covers 25 years). Enormous forces are generated by even a minor typhoon’s wind on a typical Manila billboard – whose average surface area is bigger than even those that power mighty sailing ships that ply the seas even today. The fact that many billboards collapsed even with these tarps rolled up points to something very wrong in their design and the permit-granting process.
Yes, billboard companies roll up their tarps before a storm – at least that’s what they promise to do to prevent the fabric being shredded and getting tangled in the electrical wires and cables that freely festoon our demented city. The fact is that it is impossible to expect all these billboards’ tarps to be rolled up in time. Last week many were not. How can we entrust the safety of a 10- or 15-story structure to a process so unreliable? Even with the tarps rolled up, much of the lashing is obviously hurried and easily undone. Torn tarp is a reality everyone has observed. Such debris has already caused damage to the MRT recently.
The billboard association’s spokesperson explained on television that the current crop of billboards was designed to adequately withstand the average winds of the strongest typhoons in the last 10 years only because of the fact that the leases for these structures were only between five and ten years so it was a business decision. Nature does not honor business decisions.
Wind velocity is measured in kilometers per hour and typhoons are rated by maximum sustained wind speed (for a 10-minute period). Engineering designs for billboard structures must take into account not only this maximum speed but also something called the "gust factor." Australian meteorology officials rate the severity of their typhoons by this gust factor, which shows the true nature of typhoons. Gusts can be 30 to 40 percent stronger than sustained maximum wind speeds. It is these gusts that can quickly put a skyscraper-high billboard on its knees. Gusts and accelerated winds also develop in certain specific areas like escarpments or drops in topography (an example is the SLEX portion from Bicutan to Alabang). There is really more to dealing with typhoon winds than just template calculations based on isolated sites.
All this said, there is more to the National Building Code’s requirements. In the section for towers and spires, restrictions are defined for the maximum area of the roof any such structure can occupy. It definitely is not the 100 percent coverage that many billboard frames occupy today. Almost all of these also sit on buildings not originally designed to carry the additional load. One wonders what kinds of considerations were met for permits to be given for these to be built.
After the permits are given, there is often the opportunity to take liberties with the design and construction of the steel frames. The MMDA has noticed the lack of connector bolts in some of the structures that collapsed. Obvious, too, is the fact that parts of these fallen wrecks are rusted or corroded; apart from often looking too slim to hold up even its own weight. All these deficiencies, of course, were covered by the very tarpaulins they supported. One wonders how often the building officials responsible had checked these structures in the last few years. By code, they are supposed to be inspected yearly. Billboard companies also have to maintain these structures and not just let them deteriorate past their lease-contract life.
Beyond structural engineering, the code stipulates clearly that billboards cannot distract motorists nor mar the cultural or historic sights of the city. By the very nature of their attractiveness, billboards call your attention otherwise they are useless, so by the most rational interpretation, billboards should not be allowed on major thoroughfares. They are illegal and unsafe. The fact is that the code also states that no commercial signs are allowed within the rights-of-way of major roads. This makes all the banners, billboards, signs and streamers we see on MRT/LRT pylons, streetlights and pedestrian overpasses illegal and subject to removal. But who will remove them? The courts seem to be taking the side of business and their perceived right to lord it over poor passersby and motorists.
Locational clearance also has to be given for the construction of these billboards. They should not be placed beside power substations, alongside high-tension lines, hospitals, schools, train tracks, flyovers or intersections, yet permits were given to countless billboards. Does the need for fees collection override considerations for public safety in the cities and municipalities of Metro Manila?
It is a good thing that celebrity endorsers are now publicly saying they would not like their killer images used on killer billboards. Major companies that advertise heavily via billboards are under pressure to join this bandwagon lest they be seen as callous commercial entities only after profit. There are calls to boycott both the celebrities and the companies that continue to use giant billboards as their venue of choice. This is a good idea. There should be no turning back. If we, the public blink, then we will be bullied by the billboard lobbyists sooner than we can say Kris Aquino!
It’s game over for huge billboards. But this is not to say that outdoor advertising will collapse. In other countries where there is strict regulation (comparatively, a ban on billboards compared to here) then other venues like transit stations, building facades, sidewalk kiosks, bus and taxi bodies generate new opportunities commanding premium rates – more than enough to offset the loss of regular billboard revenue.
Severe restrictions and control can start the metropolis’ much-needed urban renewal. There is too much clutter around us. Unremoved old foundations for light posts, old disused bus stops, forgotten monuments, irrelevant street signs, old political billboards (supposedly civic and the only ones allowed by law within road rights-of-way), and the flotsam and jetsam of our urban existence choke us almost to death.
While we are starting this much-needed cleanup, let’s not throw the baby out with the bathwater. Urban trees are needed. The reason why many fell last week is also due to a variety of reasons. Lack of maintenance is a major factor. Trees are living things and like human beings become fragile if not nurtured well. Many of the ones that fell had their root systems compromised by building construction beside them that led to their roots being cut. The lack of adequate or properly designed planting beds and green strips wide enough for trees also led to compaction of the earth around their root systems. This leads to a weakened anchorage. Then there is the wrong choice of tree species in some locations and improper spacing of trees along roads.
Unlike billboards, however, trees contribute positively to the environment rather than add blight. They mitigate air pollution and filter noise. Studies have shown that green spaces, trees and plants in the urban landscape can reduce stress for residents of cities.
But street tree planting is not as simple as sticking a sapling into a small hole in the sidewalk. Proper tree holes with several cubic meters of good soil are required to make sure a tree grows to its full and robust majesty. There is also a code and guidelines actually were drafted by the MMDA and the Philippine Association of Landscape Architects. This green guidelines pamphlet has been available from the MMDA since 1992 but few municipalities care to follow the rational steps clearly outlined in it. The guideline even lists all the species of trees suited to specific types and widths of roads and planting strips.
If we ban billboards and plant trees, we are left with floods and power outages to wrestle with when the next super typhoon comes. This needs another article and I have run out of space. I do hope that we can keep the pressure on this billboard issue to get it resolved. With elections coming next year, the prospect of commercial billboards replaced by political ones is a tomorrow too bleak to contemplate. What? More of Kris Aquino… this time endorsing some politicos?
We should start praying now.
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