THE Dagupan Sanggunian Panlungsod is set to tackle a proposed ordinance that will prohibit the installation of radio antennas and billboards on top of buildings citywide, a move prompted by the structural hazards exposed during the onslaught of Super Typhoon Uwan.

Authored by Councilor Jose Netu Tamayo, chair of the committee on laws and ordinances, the measure—titled the “Building-Top Antenna and Billboard Prohibition and Post-Typhoon Structural Safety Ordinance”—also orders an immediate inspection of all existing rooftop installations to determine their safety and compliance with national engineering standards.

The ordinance seeks to ban the construction of radio antennas, communication masts, satellite dish supports, and all types of rooftop advertising structures, including tarpaulin frames, LED boards, and fixed panels. No building, business, or structural permits will be issued for any prohibited installations.

Existing structures will be required to secure certification from licensed civil or structural engineers, proving their capacity to withstand dead and live loads, seismic movement, and wind pressures as prescribed by the latest National Structural Code of the Philippines. Installations must have corrosion-resistant anchorages and be securely fastened to structural members—not parapets or non-load-bearing walls.

They must also pass evaluations for material integrity, rooftop stability, electrical and signal safety, and weatherproofing. Clear zones must be maintained to avoid endangering nearby properties.

Violations will carry escalating penalties: ₱10,000 for the first offense with a compliance order, ₱20,000 plus permit suspension for the second, and ₱30,000 with permanent disqualification from future permits for the third.

The proposal follows a report from businessman Howard Chua Cham to Mayor Belen Fernandez after a DWJE radio antenna collapsed and damaged his East Gate building during Typhoon Uwan. (Leonardo Micua)