MMDA nets 168 tons of poll waste, invites recyclers

MANILA, Philippines – More than 168 tons of discarded campaign materials have so far been collected in Metro Manila by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA).

Recyclers welcome

The election-related tarpaulins, the MMDA said, will be made available to recyclers and those interested in transforming the materials to bags, mats and other items.

THE DAY AFTER. Metropolitan Manila Development Authority personnel lead the post-election cleanup on F. B. Harrison Street in Pasay City. NIÑO JESUS ORBETA

“Various groups in need of candidates’ tarpaulins to recycle them into bags, place mats, school supplies and other useful items can coordinate with us,” said MMDA’s Metro Parkway Clearing Group (MPCG) chief Francis Martinez.

The collected tarpaulins are temporarily stored at the MMDA satellite offices under the Nagtahan and Santolan flyovers.

Truckloads

A day after the May 13 elections alone, the MMDA said it has gathered 23 tons of campaign materials, filling up seven dump trucks.

Another 145 tons have been taken down, confiscated and collected before and during the official campaign period under “Oplan Baklas,” which started on March 1.

“All in all, we have collected so far 168.84 tons of campaign trash this midterm elections,” Martinez said.

Less than 2016 polls

He noted that this year’s collection is less than the 206 tons collected during the 2016 presidential elections.

Quezon City, Parañaque City, Makati City and the city of Manila produced the largest volume of discarded campaign materials.

MMDA muscle

In taking down election-related materials, the MMDA said its clearing operations teams used scrapers and sprayers to scratch out those pasted on concrete walls and fences in major thoroughfares.

The agency also used man-lifters to take down tarpaulins, buntings and posters hanging from electrical posts, cables and trees while street sweepers removed leaflets, sample ballots and flyers near public schools.

“We target to rid the major roads in the Metro of campaign materials and spruce up public schools until this week so the public can prepare for the opening of classes next month early,” said MMDA Chairman Danilo Lim said in statement.  (Editor: Gilbert S. Gaviola)