Puerto Princesa brands itself as the “City of the Living God,” and now the local government is advancing a measure to strip nightlife districts of sexually suggestive advertisements.
A proposed ordinance authored by Councilor Patrick Alex M. Hagedorn would prohibit the use of billboards, posters, and other promotional materials in bars, nightclubs, videoke bars, and similar establishments that depict men or women in “overly revealing attire.”
“Kilala ang lungsod ng Puerto Princesa bilang City of the Living God, marapat lamang na maging ehemplo ang anumang mga makikita dito lalo na sa mga lugar pasyalan ng mga turista maging ng mga residente dito,” Hagedorn told colleagues during committee deliberations.
The draft law underscores the city’s stated policy of “upholding decency, morality, and cultural values” in public advertising. It singles out images deemed inconsistent with these standards, particularly those visible to minors.
If passed, the ordinance will make three practices unlawful:
• Posting or displaying announcements with sexually explicit or near-nude images of men or women
• Exhibiting such materials in areas visible to minors or the general public
• Displaying promotional materials without first securing clearance from the Business and Permits Licensing Office
Penalties escalate quickly. A first offense carries a ₱2,500 fine and a written warning requiring a formal response within 30 days. A second violation adds a ₱3,500 fine and a 15-day suspension of the business permit. For a third violation, establishments face a ₱5,000 fine, up to one year in jail, and revocation of the Mayor’s Permit.
What stands out, however, is the absence of pushback. Owners of bars and videoke houses, often the first to resist regulations, chose instead to comply early, stripping down their signage without waiting for the law to pass.
The ordinance still has to run the full legislative process, but in Puerto Princesa, the shift is already visible on the streets.
