The House Committee on Basic Education and Culture has approved a bill preventing “photobombers” from obstructing the view or sightline of cultural properties.

Albay 1st district Rep. Edcel Lagman filed House Bill (HB) 1994–also known as the proposed "Cultural Property Sightline Act”–to protect the sightlines and the dignity of cultural national historical landmarks, monuments, and shrines.

Marikina City 1st district Rep. Marjorie Teodoro moved to approve HB 1994 during the committee hearing Wednesday, Aug. 17.

Her motion was seconded by Kabataan Party-list Rep. Raoul Manuel. Chairman of the Committee on Basic Education and Culture, Pasig lone district Rep. Roman Romulo thus approved the bill with no objections.

In his explanatory note, Lagman cited the controversial 870-meter tall Torre De Manila condominium which looms over the Rizal Monument in Luneta Park, Manila, which he described as a photobomber.

“Today, eight years later, the Philippines still lacks a law that will obviate the recurrence of the Torre de Manila issue. The very absence of a statute prohibiting real estate development that could ruin the view or sightline of a national monument was what prompted the Supreme Court in 2017 to decide in favor of DMCI Homes,” Lagman wrote in his measure’s explanatory note.

“It is then imperative that a national legislation be finally enacted to preclude the repetition of this shameful photobombing of a cultural landmark. This bill seeks to expressly prohibit any construction or real estate development that could ruin the view and sightline of any national shrine, monument, landmark, and other historical or cultural edifices and structures by amending Republic Act No. 10066, otherwise known as the ‘National Cultural Heritage Act of 2009,’” he continued.

The bill also directs local government units (LGUs) to prevent “adverse visual impact” to cultural properties by real estate developers within its own respective jurisdiction through city and municipal ordinances.

The Lagman measure is formally titled “An Act Protecting The Physical Integrity Of A Cultural Property From Adverse Visual Impact And Prohibiting Any Obstruction To Its View And Sightline, Amending For The Purpose Republic Act No. 10066, Otherwise Known As The ‘National Cultural Heritage Act Of 2009.’”

Lagman similarly filed the measure in the previous 18th Congress as HB 8829. Back then, it also saw approval with the Basic Education and Culture committee chaired by Romulo but it did not prosper into law.

READ: https://mb.com.ph/2020/10/29/offshoot-measure-of-rizal-photobomber-controversy-hurdles-house-panel/