MMDA: Campaign activities on major roads to be regulated

MMDA chair Francis Tolentino

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) has received the go signal from the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to regulate the use of major roads for motorcades, rallies and other activities related to the Oct. 28 barangay elections.

Candidates or political parties who wish to stage such activities which can cause heavy traffic must notify the MMDA at least three days before the event, according to its chair, Francis Tolentino.

The campaign period for the barangay polls begins today and runs until Oct. 26.

Tolentino on Thursday said the Comelec had approved his agency’s proposal to regulate the use of at least 23 major roads for campaign activities, citing Section 87 of the Omnibus Election Code which grants such authority to the MMDA.

Any violation of this provision—or failure to notify the MMDA in advance—is considered an election offense, Tolentino said.

The MMDA identified the roads as Edsa, C-5, Quezon Avenue, Marcos Highway, Commonwealth Avenue, España Boulevard, E. Rodriguez Sr. Avenue, Ramon Magsaysay Avenue, President Quirino Avenue, Aurora Boulevard, Ortigas Avenue, Shaw Boulevard, MIA Road, Domestic Road, Andrews Avenue, South Super Highway, Taft Avenue, Roxas Boulevard, Araneta Avenue, AH Lacson Street, Rizal Avenue, Katipunan Avenue and A. Bonifacio Avenue.

“Our proposal is not intended to prohibit any election campaign activity but merely to regulate the use of major roads,” Tolentino said in a statement.

A month before the midterm elections in May, the Comelec also issued a resolution for the same purpose. This was after motorists and commuters aired complaints over the traffic jams caused by the campaign rallies of local and national candidates in Metro Manila. Niña P. Calleja