MANILA -- The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Tuesday called on local officials and candidates to clean up and immediately remove their campaign materials.
“The polls are over and the people have decided on who deserves to lead them towards genuine change. The immediate task at hand is to call on your supporters to clean up and rid our communities of poll trash,” DILG Secretary Eduardo M. Año said in a statement.
“Win or lose, show that you are a good sport and that you have the best intentions for your communities by being part of the clean-up drive in your areas,” he added.
Año stressed that all barangay captains, mayors, and governors should lead the cleanup, together with employees of local government units, especially the Sanitation Division or Environmental Management Office.
According to Año, he expects that like in previous elections, there will be tons of trash left in the roads and public places leading to and in the polling precincts because of the numerous election campaign posters, sample ballots, flyers, leaflets, tarpaulins that were distributed by the candidates.
He said cleaning up election trash will not only make the surroundings clean but “will also be an opportunity for our people to gather and work together, turn a new page, and look forward to more good things for our people and for our nation.”
“Let us show that we Filipinos have discipline. Let us remove any trace of the just-concluded polls and start cleaning our surroundings to prove that we have a clean motive in serving the people,” he said.
The DILG Chief said the clean-up efforts in public schools, which served as polling precincts, should be fast-tracked in time for the opening of classes in June.
Año urged everyone to work together and act fast in cleaning up election trash because these might clog canals and waterways, which may later cause flooding.
Last year, the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) hauled truckloads of garbage composed of posters, tarpaulins and plastics after the elections in several areas of Metro Manila alone.
The DILG chief's remarks were echoed by the Commission on Elections (Comelec)
"Hey candidates — winners and also-rans — tapos na ang #NLE2019 (National and local elections is over). Take down your posters," Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez said in a Twitter post.
Election garbage has always a problem in the country, thus, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) always reminded the candidates to take responsibility for their trash, and be as energetic in tidying as campaigning.
Section 48 of Republic Act 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000 states: “The following acts are prohibited: Littering, throwing, dumping of waste matters in public places, such as roads, sidewalks, canals, esteros or parks, and establishment, or causing or permitting the same.”
“These are already existing laws,” said Engineer Eligio Ildefonso, the chief of the National Ecology Center of the National Solid Waste Commission in previous reports with the ABS-CBN News, adding that it should take more effect during the elections. (with reports from Christine Cudis/PNA)
