MMDA, outdoor advertisers agree on billboard rules

MANILA, Philippines - The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and outdoor advertisers have finally agreed on the regulation of advertising billboards in Metro Manila, particularly those found along the Metro’s major roads.

On Wednesday, the MMDA signed a memorandum of agreement with the Advertising Board of the Philippines (AdBoard), the Philippine Association of National Advertisers (PANA), the Association of Accredited Advertising Agencies of the Philippines (4As) and the Outdoor Advertising Association of the Philippines (OAAP).

Under the agreement, the construction of billboards and the acquisition of new billboard sites by members of OAAP will be suspended during a period of six months.

Only those OAAP members that have already pending applications and had substantially complied with the documentations demanded by government agencies concerned shall be allowed to put-up new billboards.

During the moratorium of six months, the MMDA will also refrain from dismantling the billboards of OAAP members.

All advertising tarpaulins which were earlier taken down and confiscated from billboard frames owned by OAAP members will also be released by the MMDA and will be re-installed during the same period.

Both the MMDA and the outdoor advertising groups have also agreed to draft the agreement’s implementing rules and regulations (IRR) within the moratorium period.

The parties also agreed to set up a permanent Metro Manila Outdoor Media Council (MMOMC) that will be responsible for the implementation of the IRR. The IRR will cover and define the allowable size, distance and structural integrity of billboards.

MMDA chairman Francis Tolentino said the agreement with the outdoor advertisers would not only regulate the use of billboards but will also prevent the operation of illegal billboard owners.

“In effect, this is a partnership. With the support of groups here present, colorum billboard operators will definitely be prevented,” he added.  - MANILA, Philippines - The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and outdoor advertisers have finally agreed on the regulation of advertising billboards in Metro Manila, particularly those found along the Metro’s major roads.