MANILA – September 27, 2013 – The Outdoor Media Advocacy Group (OMAG) has refused to sign the new Outdoor Media Magna Carta, they said in a statement.
The group said that they refused to sign because they were not able to discuss the document with the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and the Philippine Association of National Advertisers (PANA).
They also said, "We have serious issues regarding the legal authority of the signing parties as well as the legal validity of the provisions of the Magna Carta," arguing that they have the right to conduct operations as presently codified under the National Building Code.
"We already have a law, why can’t we just implement it?" they said.
The group also expressed concern over the capability of the MMDA to enforce the document, pointing out that some local government units have ordinances that are inconsistent with the Magna Carta provisions.
OMAG said that they have already started to push for the passage of a Republic Act to be followed by every national and local government agency, outdoor media operator, property owner, and advertiser.
"Any codification less than a law of the land is challenged in its enforceability, and potentially subjects us all to the whims of powers that be," OMAG stated.
The Outdoor Media Magna Carta was announced last September 20, and was signed by the MMDA and advertising industry officials. Among its guidelines, the document requires a vertical garden to be included in billboards. It also gives guidelines for size and placement of outdoor ads.
