Road signs in the Philippines

Road signs in the Philippines are regulated and standardized by the Department of Public Works and Highways.[1] Most of the signs reflects minor influences from American and Australian signage, but keeps close to the Vienna Convention as an original signatory.

It is unclear if the Department of Public Works and Highways mandates the use of Clearview as its official typeface for signs, but some road signs do use them.

Regulatory signs

Regulatory signs indicate the application of legal or statutory requirements, for example, obligation to give way at intersections, control of parking of vehicles, and speed limits. These signs requires driver's compliance.

Priority signs

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

Direction 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
• 
  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
• 
  No loading and unloading anytime
• 
  Bawal magsakay at magbaba (No loading and unloading)
• 
  No stopping anytime
• 
  No parking, public utility bus stop
• 
  No parking, public utility jeepney stop
• 
  No parking, public utility vehicle 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
• 
  Fasten seatbelt
• 
  Pedestrian crossing
• 
  School children crossing
• 
  Bike lane
• 
  Wheelchair crossing

Warning signs

Warning signs are used to warn motorists of potentially hazardous conditions on or adjacent to the road.

Horizontal alignment signs

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  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
• 
  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
• 
  Magingat madulas ang kalsada (Slippery road) (plate type)
• 
  Animal crossing
• 
  Low flying aircraft

Pedestrian signs

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

Railway level 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

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  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 inform road users about the direction and distances on the route they are following.

Advance direction signs

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  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

• 
• 
• 
• 

Route marker signs

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  National Route marker
• 
  Expressway Route marker
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
  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 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 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

• 
• 

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

Supplementary signs

• 
• 
• 

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 use right lane)
• 
  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 marker signs

• 
  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)

References

1. "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". www.dpwh.gov.ph.

External links