Comelec reminds candidates to dispose campaign materials properly

Lawyer Lionel Marco Castillano, director of Comelec 7 says that he is urging the candidates to remove or keep their campaign materials properly. | CDN File Photo by Niña Mae Oliverio

CEBU CITY, Philippines — In case there are still campaign materials around you after the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections on October 30, the director of the Commission on Elections in Central Visayas (Comelec-7) urged the candidates and their supporters to be responsible in disposing their campaign materials.

Lawyer Lionel Marco Castillano, director of Comelec-7, said that he was urging the candidates to remove or keep their campaign materials properly.

READ: Election trash: Supporters, voters urged to pick them up

“Ato lang hiposon. Ilabay nato properly sa waste disposal. Para sad sa mga tarpaulin, ato lang e-segregate,” Castillano said.

(We will just keep it. Throw them properly in the waste disposal. For the tarpaulin, segretate them.)

The Comelec-7 director added that some campaign materials, especially the tarpaulins, could be re-used for other purposes.

“Mapahimuslan na. Mahimo pa nang mga bags. So, adto nato ihatag sa atong material recovery facility sa matag barangay,” Castillano said.

(That can still be used. That can be made into bags. So, we will give that to the material recovery facility of every barangay.)

READ: Candidates, voters reminded to keep polling places litter-free on Election Day

Castillano expressed the Comelec’s concern about the garbage disposal, a day after the election.

“Mao na among problema,” he said.

(That is our problem.)

Since the election is over, Castillano asked all candidates who ran in the elections to coordinate in removing the campaign materials.

Last October 30, there were many discarded fliers which could be seen at various schools in the city.

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‘Be magnanimous’

“Sa mga nakadaog, be magnanimous in your victory. Extend a hand of friendship to those who did not make it and as a show of goodwill and support, pagdungan mo. Tangtanga ninyo ang mga tarpaulin para malimpyo inyong barangay,” he said.

(To those who won, be magnanimous in your victory. Extend a hand of friendship to those who did not make it and as a show of good will and support, you do it together. You remove the tarpaulins so that the barangay will be clean.)

Earlier, the Comelec-7 reminded the candidates and their supporters that handing out sample ballots could be considered campaigning, which was prohibited during election day.

In the last 2022 national and local elections, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) urged the candidates to dispose of their campaign materials in accordance with Republic Act (RA) 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000.

Former Acting Environment Secretary Jim O. Sampulna said that the candidates, whether they win or lose, should consider the long-term consequences of their campaign materials in the environment.

“Therefore, they must encourage their supporters and volunteers to take down these materials, especially those made of plastic, and dispose these properly,” Sampulna said. | with reports from Morexette Marie B. Erram

READ: Barangay, SK polls canvassing all done; no failure of election — Comelec