MANILA, Philippines — The House of Representatives on Tuesday approved on Second Reading House Bill 7174 or the Bawal Billboard Tuwing Bagyo bill which seeks to prohibit the active use and display of commercial billboards during typhoons.

The said measure is authored by CIBAC Representatives Bro. Eddie Villanueva and Domeng Rivera together with Representatives Alfred Vargas and Lucy Torres-Gomez.

The measure directs billboard owners to take down their advertisement materials during weather disturbances as a public safety measure for the motorists and pedestrians and, to mitigate the risk of billboard-related accidents during typhoons. Any operator who violates the provisions will be subject to a fine of not less than three hundred thousand pesos (P300,000) or imprisonment of not less than six months but not more than one year, upon the discretion of the court.

“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. In line with this, this bill aims to prevent billboards from becoming a safety hazard by requiring billboard operators to take down their tarpaulin billboards, or switch-off electronic based billboards within 12 hours from an official announcement of typhoon Signal No. 1 in the locality,” CIBAC Lawmaker and House Deputy Speaker Bro. Eddie Villanueva said.

It has been recorded that the Philippines is visited by AROUND 20 typhoons every year, costing billions of pesos in damages and at times, people’s lives. In 2006, at the height of typhoon Milenyo, a cab driver was killed, and other people were injured when a billboard on Estrella Avenue and EDSA in Makati City fell onto his taxi and two other cars, and a passenger bus. Another incident happened in 2008 where 4 people were injured because of a toppled billboard in the same area. And in 2019, a billboard in Divisoria made from substandard steel angle bars collapsed after strong winds and injured two people.

“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,” CIBAC solon Domeng Rivera concluded.

The said measure is expected to be approved on 3rd and final reading next week.