Road signs in the Philippines are regulated and standardized by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).^[1][2] Most of the signs reflect minor influences from U.S. 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.^[3][4] The Philippines signed the convention on November 8, 1968, and ratified it on December 27, 1973.^[5]

It is unclear if the DPWH mandates the use of, or has a preference between, Clearview and Highway Gothic as the official typefaces for signs, but most road signs do use them.^[a]

Regulatory signs

Regulatory signs indicate the application of legal or statutory requirements. Disregarding these signs may constitute the road user to an offense.^[1]

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.^[1]

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.^[1]

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)

Street signs

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.^[1]

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.^[1]

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.^[1]

• 
  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)

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.