BAGUIO CITY – The City Council approved on first reading a proposed ordinance regulating the distribution of all forms of advertising materials such as leaflets and flyers to the public in the streets of the city and providing penalties for violations.
The ordinance authored by vice Mayor Edison R. Bilog stated that it shall be the policy of the local government to regulate the distribution of all forms of advertising materials such as leaflets and flyers to the public in the streets of the city to help sustain the cleanliness of the city.
The ordinance added prior to the distribution of the advertising materials, the applicant shall formally write to the City Mayor through the City Treasurer their intention to distribute advertising materials to the public in the streets of the city and included in the letter will be the name of the applicant, activity or business name and address, lit of the venue or location where they intend to distribute the advertising materials and period or duration of the distribution activity.
The City Treasurer will subsequently recommend to the City Mayor the approval or denial of the applicant’s request.
Upon approval of the city Mayor, the applicant shall secure a special permit from the City Permits and Licensing Division for the purpose and pay to the City Treasurer’s Office the necessary fees or charges such as business tax, mayor’s permit fee, garbage fee, sewerage fee, use of area among others.
The ordinance stipulated that the applicant shall ensure compliance with all the rules and regulations as may be provided by the City Permits and licensing Division relative to the holding of the distribution of advertising materials that will include the observance of cleanliness and orderliness, adherence to the possible revocation of their special permit should the government need the place identified and the need for the applicant to display or bring along a copy of their special permit during distribution activities.
The ordinance explained the applicant shall include in their advertising materials information about the existence of the anti-littering ordinance of the city for the public to properly dispose of the advertising materials.
The ordinance stated the applicant shall ensure that their personnel or people tasked to distribute their advertising materials shall clean and dispose of all advertising materials that were not disposed of properly by the public every after distribution.
Under the proposed ordinance, any applicant found to have violated its provisions shall be penalized by a fine of P1,000 for the first offense and a fine of P2,500 and that the applicant will be prohibited from applying and securing permits from the local government for the second offense.
The City Permits and Licensing Division, the City General Services office and the Baguio City Police Office (BCPO) shall strictly monitor the applicant’s proper mode of disposal and cleanliness and orderliness of the area of distribution and ensure the full and proper implementation of the measure.
Further, the same offices, including the City Treasury Office, shall prepare the implementing rules and regulations of the measure to effectively implement the ordinance. /By Dexter A. See