DENR Launches ‘Basura-Free Election 2016’

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) recently launched the “Basura-Free Election 2016” drive to ensure a garbage-free campaign for the May 9 polls.

This as the Department, together with the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Commission on Elections (COMELEC), renewed its commitment in making sure that national and local candidates will properly dispose of their garbage from campaign materials and also help in cleaning up the surroundings after the election.

The campaign with the theme “Kalat Ko, Linis Ko” was launched in anticipation for the large volumes of waste produced during the election period due to the proliferation of posters, flyers and other campaign paraphernalia.

It was exactly the same campaign the DENR, Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and Commission on Election (COMELEC) carried out during the 2013 midterm elections.

Back then, the DENR and partner agency officials signed a manifesto of commitment to implement a memorandum circular jointly issued by the three agencies in 2013.

The circular aims to ensure compliance to the provisions of Republic Act No. 9003, or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000, by political parties, candidates and their supporters during the election campaign and post-election periods.

The campaign is supported by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, major political parties, party-list organizations, candidates, youth leaders and civil society members.

The campaign period for national positions will begin on February 9 while campaign for local posts will start on March 25.

DENR Secretary Ramon Paje, in a statement said that with the number of candidates on the campaign trail, the volume of campaign materials that will be generated and will end up as garbage is expected to be enormous.

“This is the topmost concern we have and our partners in the green movement who are intensifying their campaign for a greener election, calling on the candidates themselves to clean up their act,” Paje said.

Based on COMELEC records, a total of 45,990 individuals filed their certificates of candidacy (COCs) last year for 14 national posts, 59 party list representatives and 18,010 local posts.

The figures are almost similar to the 2013 elections with 18,054 elective posts and 44,478 COCs filed.

In the 2013 joint memo circular, the DENR, DILG and COMELEC also commit to ensure that political parties and candidates will adhere to RA 3571, which prohibits the “cutting, destroying or injuring trees, flowering plants and shrubs or plants of scenic value along public roads, plazas, parks school premises or any other public ground not designated as common poster areas.”

It likewise tasks candidates and their supporters to conduct a post clean-up of their campaign paraphernalia right after the elections.

Paje, meanwhile, called on the public to do their share in making the May polls garbage-free by reporting cases of election-related littering to authorities or bringing it directly to the attention of the candidates during public forums.

“This is particularly what the DENR, DILG and COMELEC are pushing through this effort – an awareness campaign to encourage voters to choose and watch out for candidates who really care about the environment,” the environment chief said. (DENR/RJB/SDL/PIA-NCR)