CIBAC Lawmakers House Deputy Speaker Bro. Eddie Villanueva and Representative Domingo Rivera lauds the House of Representatives’ passage on third and final reading of House Bill 7174 or the proposed Bawal Billboard Tuwing Bagyo Act, which prohibits the active use and display of commercial billboards during typhoon

 The measure got 205 affirmative votes, zero negative votes and four abstentions as voting results.

“We are thankful to our colleagues for putting this bill in the legislative priority list of the chamber. Our country is visited by not less than 20 typhoons every year and so the use of billboards should be regulated and mitigated as these pose a threat to general public safety during storms,” Rep. Villanueva, one of the principal authors of the bill, 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 measure also states that all advertising materials shall be automatically taken down by the billboard operator within 12 hours from an official announcement and/or release of a Typhoon Signal Number 1 bulletin or any significant weather disturbance by state weather bureau PAGASA.

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.

“We acknowledge that billboards provide important benefits not only to promote specific businesses but more so as a mark or sign of a developing economy. However, we shall not compromise public safety especially during typhoons,” Rep. Villanueva explained.

“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” Rep. Rivera added.

Penalties will be imposed on billboard operators or any person who violates the provisions of the bill. A fine of not less than Php 300,000 or imprisonment of six months to one year will be one year will be imposed on the guilty party.

The bill will now be transmitted to the senate for its consideration.

“We hope this measure will be signed into law soon before we usher into the rainy season of the year,“ ended Rep. Rivera.