The newly enacted Billboard and Signage Ordinance of Makati City will be invoked by the local government in tearing down structures that would exceed size limitations for outdoor advertising.
Ordinance No. 2013-A-044, which took effect June 30, will be strictly enforced both to ensure public safety from these potential storm hazards and to reduce clutter on the city skyline, Makati Mayor Jejomar Erwin Binay said in a statement Thursday.
The mayor also clarified that the moratorium on the construction and installation of new billboards in the city, as earlier imposed through another ordinance, remains in effect.
Under the new measure, the size limitations for billboards will vary according to their location, which may be classified as major roads, secondary roads and special development zones.
On major roads that are more than 45 meters wide—like Edsa, South Superhighway, Magallanes Avenue, Sen. Gil Puyat Avenue and Ayala Avenue—billboards or outdoor displays should have only a maximum surface area of 162 square meters.
Those along roads 20 to 45 m wide should have an area not exceeding 81 sq m. Billboards erected on roads less than 20 m wide should not go beyond 40 sq m.
Aside from the billboard dimensions, proper spacing between displays will also be enforced in proportion to the road width.
For billboards mounted on buildings along major roads, Binay said these displays must conform with the restrictions imposed on the building itself as set by the building code and zoning laws. They should not obstruct doors, windows or fire exits, for example. Maricar B. Brizuela