Makati folk can scrutinize city plan on billboard ads

The Makati City government will allow residents to scrutinize its 10-year master plan to regulate the outdoor advertising industry.

In an advisory on Thursday, City Hall said public hearings would be held on Monday, Dec. 16, on the proposed Makati City Billboard and Signage Master Plan for 2013 to 2023, to inform the public and concerned parties about the rules and regulations involving the construction, installation and maintenance of these structures.

Through an ordinance passed in 2004, Makati imposed a moratorium on the construction of new billboards and signs. This was after the city saw major accidents involving toppled giant billboards.

Mayor Jejomar Erwin Binay said the time had come for a comprehensive master plan and a set of rules to be adopted so that billboards and signs, especially those installed in public spaces and structures, could be regulated.

“The city government believes that advertising stimulates economic growth but the right balance must be found between the interest of business groups and advertisers, and the general public’s welfare and safety,” the mayor said.

On Monday, the public may attend the public hearings in two sessions, from 8 a.m. to 12 noon or from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., on the 22nd floor of the new city hall.

“The view in Makati gets cluttered because of these billboards. We want to stop the clutter and regulate their installation and construction,” said Joey Salgado, the city’s public information officer.

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) recently made similar moves to regulate billboards on major thoroughfares, with the crafting of an agreement also known as the Magna Carta on Outdoor Media.

The agreement, which was signed by the MMDA and advertising groups, imposes limits on the size and height of billboards, and requires operators to add “vertical gardens” or allot spaces for ornamental plants. It is set to take effect in 2015. Niña P. Calleja