MMDA, DPWH to inspect billboards along highways

MANILA, Philippines -  The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) will start inspecting the stability and sizes of the outdoor advertising billboards along the major highways within the month.

MMDA chairman Francis Tolentino said in yesterday’s Tinapayan forum that he and DPWH Secretary Rogelio Singson will conduct billboard inspections in three weeks.

“We will inspect everything, including the structural soundness. We will give emphasis on the billboards that are standing on the faultlines… Our priority right now is disaster preparedness,” Tolentino said.

He is concerned that some of these billboards would not be able to withstand sustained winds of 240 kilometers per hour, such as those brought by typhoon “Milenyo,” or a magnitude seven earthquake.

Tolentino said many of the 2,000 billboards along EDSA are “visual clutter” and pose traffic hazards.

“If a driver turns to these billboards, even for just six seconds, it could lead to an accident,” he said.

Tolentino said they are pushing for the regulation of the content since there are instances that the endorser’s image either has no relation to the product or is substantially bigger than the product’s image.

“We have met with the organization of outdoor advertisers and they agreed to discuss the content in their next meeting scheduled on April 8…We would come out with the guidelines on the content and the size,” he said.

Meanwhile, he also announced that the MMDA will launch a traffic digital guide wherein motorists traveling in Metro Manila would know the status of vehicular traffic via their cellular phone.

Tolentino refused to thoroughly discuss their new program, saying that it might preempt the launch this week.