Group formed to crack down on election litterbugs

Election Commissioner Lucenito Tagle. Photo from comelec.gov.ph

MANILA, Philippines—A task force has been created to serve as watchdog against litterbugs during the elections.

The Commission on Elections, the Departments of Environment and Natural Resources, and the Interior and Local Government  have joined  forces to keep track of political parties, candidates and their supporters who violate waste management laws and improperly dispose of election materials.

Under an agreement signed by representatives of the three agencies, the task force will strictly enforce relevant provisions of the Fair Elections Act, the Solid Waste Management Act, and other laws on the disposal of election garbage.

The goal is to reduce the volume of waste during the campaign, election and post-election periods, officials said.

In a ceremony at the DENR Social Hall on Tuesday, Election Commissioner Lucenito Tagle, Environment Undersecretary Analiza Teh, and Interior Assistant Secretary Rolando Acosta formally signed the circular titled “Basura-Free Elections 2013 ‘Kalat Ko, Sisinupin Ko’.”

The circular shall cover all political parties and party-list organizations, national and local candidates vying for elective posts, and all concerned  agencies at the national, regional, provincial and district level.

Under the guidelines of the circular, political parties, candidates and their supporters shall be required to strictly observe applicable  waste management laws, and shall be encouraged to use recyclable, reusable and environment-friendly campaign materials.

“Campaign materials shall only be allowed in the common poster areas to avoid eyesores and minimize generation,” it said.

The circular also reminds everyone that tacking campaign posters on trees, flowering plants and shrubs along public roads, in plazas, parks, schools, and other public grounds not designated as common poster areas is prohibited.

The parties and candidates must also designate an “Environmental Point Person” by province to the Comelec to ensure their compliance, the circular said.

The task force will prepare a report of activities by violators and file the corresponding cases with the concerned agencies, it said.

In a related development, the environment watchdog EcoWaste Coalition on Tuesday cried foul over the mounds of garbage left by the proclamation rallies of former president Joseph Estrada and Mayor Alfredo Lim, who were both running for mayor of Manila.

The group expressed dismay over what it described as the “unchecked littering that tainted the huge rallies of Estrada and Lim” to kick off their respective campaigns.

EcoWaste said Estrada’s rally at Liwasang Bonifacio on Easter Sunday and Lim’s rally on Monday at the Bonifacio Shrine were both marred by

widespread breaches  of the Solid Waste Management Act, and other laws.

“We are saddened by the brazen violation of anti-littering laws in these two huge outdoor events as if political rallies are exempted from following them,” Aileen Lucero, acting national coordinator of EcoWaste, said in a statement.

“Was it too difficult for the rally organizers to take simple steps that would have prevented littering during their events like assigning eco-volunteers, putting up waste receptacles and asking the program emcees to constantly remind the crowd not to leave any trash behind?” she said.

EcoWaste said non-biodegradable food packaging materials, particularly polystyrene plastic containers, plastic cups and straws, plastic bags and plastic candy wrappers, were the most littered items.

The group also said it observed large volumes of political propaganda materials scattered all over the rally sites, notably campaign leaflets and posters of individuals, as well as partly list groups, vying for elective positions.