Legal Authority and Framework
- Power delegated to the Secretary of DPWH under PD 1096 for enforcing National Building Code (NBC) provisions on outdoor advertising structures.
- Metropolitan Manila Council approved MMDA Regulation No. 04-004, Series of 2004 prescribing guidelines and penalties for billboard installations.
- MMDA Chairman authorized to issue implementing guidelines for signages along major thoroughfares.
- Deputation of MMDA by DPWH to implement relevant NBC chapters within Metro Manila pursuant to a 2010 Memorandum of Agreement.
Content Restrictions and Standards
- Prohibits signage that obstructs natural views, distracts motorists, constitutes traffic hazards, or offends aesthetic and cultural values.
- Section 2001(b) of the NBC cited explicitly to govern content.
Establishment of Metro Manila Billboard Office
- Tasked with reviewing and evaluating content of regulated signs.
- Authority to notify offending billboard owners/operators to rectify violations within three days.
- If non-compliance persists, MMDA requested to roll down or dismantle offending signs.
- Billboard owners/operators may replace non-compliant content with approved materials.
- Consults with the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) on electronic billboards.
Composition and Appointment of the Billboard Office
- Includes two local chief executives from Metropolitan Manila LGUs.
- One religious sector representative.
- One representative from the billboard/outdoor advertising industry.
- One representative from the Advertising Board of the Philippines.
- Chairman of MMDA or designated representative.
- Members (except MMDA Chairman) appointed by the Metropolitan Manila Commission.
Advertising Ethics and Compliance
- All billboard advertisers, owners, and operators must adhere to their respective associations’ Code of Ethics.
- Advertising content must not be offensive and must conform to accepted moral standards.
Oversight and Review Functions
- Billboard Office serves an appellate and regulatory function over billboard advertising content.
- Authority to review sign content proactively or upon complaints from LGUs, public officials, or private persons.
Transition and Succession Provisions
- Initial one-year composition specified with named members.
- Subsequent members appointed annually by the Metro Manila Council.
Legal Provisions
- Separability clause ensuring unaffected parts remain valid if some provisions are invalidated.
- Repealing clause modifies or repeals inconsistent prior memorandum circulars.
- Effectivity clause mandates taking effect 15 days after publication in two newspapers of general circulation.