Road signs in the Philippines

Road signs in the Philippines are regulated and standardized by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH). Most of the signs reflect minor influences from American and Australian signs but keep a design closer to the Vienna Convention on Road Signs and Signals, to which the Philippines is an original signatory. The Philippines signed the convention on November 8, 1968, and ratified it on December 27, 1973.

A road sign in Guiguinto, Bulacan, directing motorists to Baguio and Manila

A road sign in Valenzuela showing directions to various destinations

Historical road signs (pictured in 2013) in Pagsanjan, Laguna, featuring former Route 23 (present-day N603)

Though the Philippines has signed the Vienna Convention on Road Signs and Signals, road signs "Priority Road", "End of priority road", "Give way to oncoming traffic" and "Priority over oncoming traffic", which are mainly found in European countries, are not used in this country as well as in the United States, Canada, and Latin American countries.

Part 2 of the Highway Safety Design Standards Manual mandates the use of the Standard alphabets, often referred to as Highway Gothic. It contains a reproduction of the former Australian implementation AS1744-1975 Standard Alphabets in the appendix pp A103-A146. Clearview appears to have supplanted it, and other fonts are in use.

Regulatory signs

Regulatory signs indicate the application of legal or statutory requirements. Disregarding these signs may constitute the road user to an offense.

Priority signs

• 
  Stop
• 
  Give way
• 
  Magbigay-daan (Give way) (plate type)
• 
  Left turner must give way

Directional signs

• 
  No turns
• 
  One way (right)
• 
  One way (left)
• 
  Keep right
• 
  Keep left
• 
  Pass either side
• 
  All traffic (right)
• 
  All traffic (left)
• 
  Merging traffic
• 
  Two-way traffic
• 
  No turns (plate type)
• 
  One-way (right, plate type)
• 
  One-way (left, plate type)
• 
  Keep right (plate type)
• 
  Keep left (plate type)
• 
  All traffic (right, plate type)
• 
  All traffic (left, plate type)
• 
  Merging traffic (plate type)
• 
  Two-way traffic (plate type)
• 
  Salubong na Trapiko (Two-way traffic)
• 
  Right lane must turn right
• 
  Left lane must turn left

Restrictive signs

• 
  No entry for all vehicles
• 
  No entry for all vehicles (plate type)
• 
  No entry for cars
• 
  No entry for jeepneys
• 
  No entry for bicycles
• 
  No entry for motorcycles
• 
  No entry for tricycles
• 
  No entry for buses
• 
  No entry for trucks
• 
  No entry for vehicles with trailer
• 
  No pedestrian crossing
• 
  No entry for animal drawn vehicles
• 
  No entry for pushcarts
• 
  No crossing, use overpass (plate type)
• 
  No pedestrian crossing (plate type)
• 
  Bawal tumawid, gamitin ang overpass (No crossing, use overpass) (plate type)
• 
  No right turn
• 
  No right turn (plate type)
• 
  No left turn
• 
  No left turn (plate type)
• 
  No U-turn
• 
  No U-turn (plate type)
• 
  No overtaking
• 
  Bawal lumusot (No overtaking) (plate type)

Speed signs

• 
  Speed restriction (maximum)
• 
  Speed limit de-restriction (plate type)
• 
  Speed restriction (minimum)

Parking signs

• 
  No parking
• 
  Bawal pumarada (No parking)
• 
  No parking, loading only
• 
  No parking anytime
• 
  No parking, tow-away zone
• 
  Time restricted parking
• 
  Time restricted parking
• 
  Loading zone
• 
  Loading and unloading zone
• 
  No waiting anytime
• 
  No waiting
• 
  Bawal maghintay ano mang oras (No waiting anytime)
• 
  No loading and unloading anytime
• 
  Bawal magsakay at magbaba (No loading and unloading)
• 
  No loading unloading anytime
• 
  No stopping anytime
• 
  No parking, public utility bus stop
• 
  No parking, public utility jeepney stop
• 
  No parking, public utility jeepney stop
• 
  Do not block intersection
• 
  Right turners cross at broken white lines

Miscellaneous signs

• 
  No blowing of horns
• 
  Width restriction
• 
  Height restriction
• 
  Weight restriction (by tonnes)
• 
  Weight restriction (per axle)
• 
  Length restriction
• 
  End of all restrictions
• 
  Fasten seatbelt
• 
  Pedestrian crossing
• 
  Children crossing
• 
  Bicycles lane
• 
  Persons with disabilities crossing

Warning signs

Warning signs are used to warn road users to the potential hazard along, or adjacent to, the road. They are triangular and red-bordered, similar to warning signs used in Europe.

Horizontal alignment signs

• 
  Sharp turn (right)
• 
  Sharp turn (left)
• 
  Reverse turn (right)
• 
  Reverse turn (left)
• 
  Curve (right)
• 
  Curve (left)
• 
  Reverse curve (right)
• 
  Reverse curve (left)
• 
  Winding road (right)
• 
  Winding road (left)
• 
  Hairpin bend (right)
• 
  Hairpin bend (left)

Intersection and junction signs

• 
  Intersection
• 
  Staggered intersection (right)
• 
  Staggered intersection (left)
• 
  Skewed intersection (right)
• 
  Skewed intersection (left)
• 
  T-junction
• 
  Y-junction
• 
  Half Y-junction (right)
• 
  Half Y-junction (left)
• 
  Reverse half Y-junction (right)
• 
  Reverse half Y-junction (left)
• 
  Side junction (right)
• 
  Side junction (left)
• 
  Roundabout
• 
  Priority, side junction (right)
• 
  Priority, side junction (left)
• 
  Priority, merging traffic (right)
• 
  Priority, merging traffic (left)
• 
  Priority, intersection

Advance warning of traffic control devices signs

• 
  Traffic lights ahead
• 
  Stop sign ahead
• 
  Give way sign ahead

Road width signs

• 
  Narrow bridge
• 
  Narrow bridge (plate type)
• 
  Road narrows
• 
  Road narrows (plate type)
• 
  Start of divided traffic
• 
  End of divided traffic

Road obstacle signs

• 
  Opening bridge
• 
  Uneven road
• 
  Hump
• 
  Steep descent (right)
• 
  Steep descent (left)
• 
  Steep climb (right)
• 
  Steep climb (left)
• 
  Spill way
• 
  Flood
• 
  Falling debris (right)
• 
  Falling debris (left)
• 
  Slippery road
• 
  Mag-ingat, madulas ang kalsada (Slippery road) (plate type)
• 
  Cattle crossing
• 
  Low flying aircraft

Pedestrian signs

• 
  Pedestrian crossing ahead
• 
  Slow down, pedestrian crossing ahead (plate type)
• 
  Children crossing ahead
• 
  Cross only at pedestrian crossing
• 
  Handicapped crossing
• 
  Bike lane ahead

Railroad crossing signs

• 
  Railroad crossing position
• 
  Railroad crossing advance warning (unsignalled)
• 
  Railroad crossing advance warning (signalled)
• 
  Railroad crossing position (alternative)

Supplementary signs

• 
  Advisory speed
• 
  On side road (right)
• 
  On side road (left)
• 
  Distance (meter)
• 
  Distance (kilometer)
• 
  Next distance (kilometer)
• 
  When wet
• 
  Blind
• 
  Aged
• 
  Playground
• 
  School
• 
  Disabled
• 
  For public utility jeepneys
• 
  For buses

Other warning road signs

• 
  Vertical clearance
• 
  Low clearance
• 
  Slow down, accident prone area
• 
  Bumagal, madalas ang aksidente dito (Slow down, accident prone area)
• 
  Slow down, merging traffic ahead
• 
  Lane ends, merge left
• 
  Slow down, weighbridge ahead

Guide or information signs

Guide or information signs are used to inform road users about the direction and distances of the route that they are following.

Advance direction signs

• 
  Stack direction (multiple)
• 
  Stack direction (single)
• 
  Stack direction (with road name)
• 
  Diagrammatic direction
• 
  Diagrammatic direction (roundabout)

Intersection direction signs

• 
  Intersection direction (right)
• 
  Intersection direction (left)
• 
  Intersection direction (both sides)
• 
  Intersection direction (with road name)

Reassurance direction signs

• 
  Reassurance direction
• 
  Reassurance direction (with road name)

Finger board and direction signs for less important roads

• 
  Direction (place)
• 
  Direction (road)
• 
  Direction (tourist spot)

Town names and geographical feature signs

• 
  Town name
• 
  Province name
• 
  Geographical feature

Service signs

• 
  Service sign (with name of service, symbols, and distance)
• 
  Service sign
• 
  Service sign
• 
  Service sign
• 
  Service sign (advance sign with name of service)

Tourist information and tourist destination signs

• 
  Tourist spot Fort Santiago
• 
  Tourist spot Taal Lake
• 
  Tourist spot National Museum turn right
• 
  Tourist spot scenic lookout on right

Route marker signs

• 
  National Route marker
• 
  Expressway Route marker
• 
  Route markers
• 
  Route markers
• 
  Route markers
• 
  Route markers
• 
  Route markers
• 
  Route markers
• 
  Route markers
• 
  End

Asian highway route marker signs

• 
  Asian highway marker
• 
  Asian highway segments
• 
  Asian highway segment
• 
  Asian highway maintenance jurisdiction
• 
  Asian highway segment name

Expressway signs

Expressway signs are signs that are used on, or near, controlled-access roads.

Expressway approach signs

• 
  Expressway approach sign
• 
  Expressway approach sign
• 
  Expressway approach sign (small)

Expressway information signs

• 
  Prohibited on expressway
• 
  Bawal pumasok sasakyang walang tail light (No entry for vehicles without tail light)
• 
  Bawal bisikleta motorsiklo sa expressway (No bicycles or motorcycles allowed in expressway)
• 
  Toll charges
• 
  Lane direction

Advance exit signs

• 
  Advance exit with distance
• 
  Advance exit with distance and lane
• 
  Supplementary advance exit

Exit direction signs

• 
  Exit with destination
• 
  Next exit
• 
  Exit
• 
  Exit (numbered)

Expressway service signs

• 
  Rest area 2 km right lane
• 
  Picnic site 15 km right lane

End of expressway signs

• 
  Expressway ends after 1 km
• 
  Expressway ends after 2 km
• 
  Start of Expressway
• 
  End of Expressway

Toll signs

• 
  Toll Plaza Ahead (with distance)
• 
  Stop at Toll Gates
• 
  Pay Toll Ahead

Expressway traffic instruction and regulatory signs

• 
  Wrong way, go back
• 
  Reduce speed now
• 
  Right lane ends, merge left
• 
  Lane ends, merge left

Traffic instruction signs

Traffic instruction signs are used to instruct a road user to follow a direction or perform an action. These are also used as a supplement for regulatory and warning signs.

Supplementary signs

• 
  Use overpass
• 
  Use pedestrian crossing
• 
  Trucks use low gear

Movement instruction signs

• 
  Reduce speed
• 
  Stop here on red signal
• 
  Low clearance ahead, high vehicles detour
• 
  No right turn on red signal
• 
  Slow vehicles use right lane
• 
  Mabagal na sasakyan mamalagi sa kanan (Slow vehicles keep right)
• 
  Trak at bus mamalagi sa kanan maliban kung lulusot (Trucks and buses keep right unless overtaking)
• 
  No through road
• 
  Road closed
• 
  Form 1 lane
• 
  Form 2 lanes

Hazard markers

Hazard markers are signs that are usually used in places with obstructions and curves. These signs may be used with or after a warning sign.

• 
  Black and white chevron (right)
• 
  Black and white chevron (left)
• 
  White and red chevron (right)
• 
  White and red chevron (left)
• 
  One way hazard marker (right)
• 
  One way hazard marker (left)
• 
  Obstruction marker
• 
  Two way hazard marker (large)
• 
  Two way hazard marker (small)
• 
  Two-way hazard marker
• 
  Width marker (right)
• 
  Width marker (left)

Criticism

Some writers and motorists have commented on problems with Philippine road signs, such as unclear wording, inconsistent placement, and limited use of Filipino. In 2000, columnist Al S. Mendoza argued that traffic signs should be changed from English to Filipino to improve comprehension. Later articles in the Philippine Daily Inquirer criticized obscure or poorly placed road signs as a safety hazard.

See also

• Vehicle registration plates of the Philippines

Sources

• This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain: "Highway Safety Design Standards Manuals: Part 1 – Road Safety Design Manual and Part 2 – Road Signs and Pavement Markings Manual". Department of Public Works and Highways. May 2012.

External links

• A quick guide to safe driving by recognizing standard road signs in the Philippines by the Manila Bulletin