DILG urges candidates to clean up campaign trash

At least 145.42 tons of campaign materials have been collected in Metro Manila the day after elections, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) said.

As of Mark Salazar's Balitanghali report on Tuesday, Metro aides were not done taking down banderitas and posters that were seen growing by the pile.

According to the MMDA, the city with the most campaign waste collected so far was Manila, with around 30,000 pieces of campaign trash.

Quezon City came in second with 25,000 pieces; followed by Parañaque with 13,000 pieces; Makati with 10,400, and Caloocan with 8,000 pieces.

In a statement, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) urged local officials and those who ran in the midterm polls to lead in removing and properly disposing of campaign materials.

"Tapos na po ang halalan at nakapili na ang mga mamamayan kung sino sa palagay nila ang karapat-dapat na magsagwan sa kanila tungo sa tunay na pagbabago," DILG Secretary Eduardo Año said in a statement.

"The immediate task at hand is to call on your supporters to clean up and rid our communities of poll trash," he added.

Año said all barangay captains, mayors and governors should lead in the cleanup drive.

He said he is expecting that there will be tons of trash in public areas due to the election campaign posters, sample ballots, flyers, leaflets and tarpaulins which were distributed during the campaign period.

Año said cleanup efforts in public schools must be speedily done to prepare for the opening of classes in June.

Environmental group EcoWaste Coalition also called on all winning and losing mid-term election candidates nationwide to do their part in the clearing and proper disposal of campaign materials.

The group also asked the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to upgrade existing rules on the use of non-biodegradable and toxic materials for campaign materials to prevent and reduce trash in future elections. — Anna Felicia Bajo and Margaret Claire Layug/BM, GMA News