MMDA chief slams outdoor ad group over billboard lawsuit

MANILA, Philippines - An outdoor ad group whose officials filed charges over the demolition of billboards along EDSA should show that they have permits for them, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairman Francis Tolentino said Friday.

The Outdoor Media Advocacy Group filed a complaint before the Makati City prosecutor’s office accusing Tolentino of usurping legislative powers when he issued implementing rules on the installation and maintenance of outdoor billboards, display signs, streamers and posters in Metro Manila.

Tolentino said the MMDA, by dismantling billboards, “is just following the National Building Code. If they can show building permits (for their billboards) then they will not be demolished. I don’t want Metro Manila to be the billboard capital of the Philipppines. I am just doing what is right. I will not back down.”

Tolentino then explained that the complaint for usurpation of authority filed against him was baseless as he was only implementing the National Building Code, which he said calls for the removal of billboards without permits.

“Part of doing my job is to protect the environment. Most of the billboards, they don’t have permits,” he said in an earlier text message.

The ad group said while it is true that the Department of Public Works and Highways entered into a memorandum of agreement with the MMDA on Aug. 31, 2010, delegating the DPWH’s function of implementing some of the provisions of the National Building Code over the regulation and installation of billboards, the DPWH did not delegate to the MMDA its power to promulgate rules.