BAGUIO CITY – The City Council approved on first reading a proposed ordinance regulating flyposting of posters, flyers and writings in the nature of advertisements affixed on all trees, posts, cables, building facades and similar structures in the city and providing penalties for violations of the pertinent provisions of the measure.
The ordinance authored by Acting Vice Leandro B. Yangot, Jr. stated that it will be prohibited for any person to flypost any form of poster, flyer or bill in the nature of advertisements on any public property of the city, including but not limited to trees, posts, cables, walls and similar structures.
Further, the ordinance added that any person found to have performed or is performing flyposting shall be responsible for the restoration of the damaged property.
Under the proposal, the barangay officials as assisted by the local police authorities shall enforce the provisions of the ordinance in accordance with the procedures laid down by the Rules of Court.
Yangot clarified that existing wheatposted or flyposted private advertisements as prohibited upon effectivity of the ordinance shall be removed through the efforts of the city streetsweepers and cleaners.
Any person found violating the pertinent provisions of the proposed ordinance shall be penalized with fines of P1,000 for the first offense, P3,000 for the second offense, and P5,000 and imprisonment of 3 days upon the discretion of the court for the third offense.
Yangot claimed it has been observed that bills, posters or flyers in the nature of private advertisements and announcements whether for commercial or private purposes are blatantly attached or posted on the city’s posts, lamp posts, trees, cables and other similar private and public structures which affect the city’s efforts for a clean and green environment.
From graffiti, papers, wood and polyester coated materials, he claimed the city’s lamp posts, cables, trees, walls and similar structures within the city public market, central business district and the different barangays are allegedly peppered with private advertisements and announcements of services ranging from cellular phone, pre-paid loads, tutorials to pozo negro are evident and others advertise wash-up rates of rooms, boarding or transient houses in areas where there is heavy foot and vehicle traffic.
In some instances he noted that those of missing relatives, lost pets and items blemish public property and view, thus, the necessity of the enactment of the proposed local legislative measure.
In as much as the city intends to utilize its properties to provide the much needed services to beautify the city or promote for a greener environment, Yangot said the trees or structures have become the most convenient areas for the depressing advertisements due to the fact that residents and owners of business establishments who can react and prevent the flyposting of said bills, posters or flyers do not own the said posts.
By Dexter A. See
