Signs and billboards in the Republic of the Philippines will be translated to either English or Filipino, if Senator Lito Lapid's bill is passed into law

Lito Lapid, Senator of the Philippines, wants all signs and billboards translated to either English or Filipino.

Senate Bill 2639 seeks to amend section 447of the Local Government Code (LGC) to require all signs, signboards, or billboards written in a foreign language other than English to bear the corresponding Filipino or English translation.

Under the LGC, the Sangguniang Panlungsod and the Sangguniang Bayan are required to “regulate the display of and fix the license fees for signs, signboards, or billboards at the place or places where the profession or business advertised thereby is, in whole or in part, conducted.”

Under Lapid’s bill, the LGC provision shall also be made to say that the said “signs, signboards, or billboards shall be written in Filipino or English, or, if written in a foreign language other than English, shall bear corresponding Filipino or English translation.