With the first week of the election campaign in the books, Luntiang Pilipinas Party-list (Luntian PL) on Monday called on all senatorial candidates and party-list groups to ensure that their campaign organizations and supporters conduct a “clean-and-green” election campaign that would not negatively impact the environment.
Luntian first nominee Michael Ubac said that based on posts in social media and reports he had received, “there is an apparent lack of concern with regard to the use of campaign collaterals and how trash is disposed after huge campaign sorties.”
“If candidates and parties can spend and assign staff to organize and hold campaign events, they can certainly consider assigning campaign personnel to ensure that they clean up after every event,” said Ubac.
“Excess paper used in flyers and sample ballots should be collected and recycled. Plans must be put in place to collect all the tarps used so that these can be reused for other purposes.”
The veteran journalist said candidates “should also keep in mind the principle of recycle, reuse, and reduce when it comes to their campaign paraphernalia.”
“Excess paper used in flyers and sample ballots should be collected and recycled. Plans must be put in place to collect all the tarps used so that these can be reused for other purposes. We have to make sure that none of the materials produced for this campaign end up in our seas or in landfills,” stressed Ubac.
Ubac added that candidates should also heed the reminders from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to refrain from nailing their campaign materials on trees.
The DENR NCR official Twitter account recently posted a reminder for candidates and supporters, saying that Section 18 of COMELEC Resolution No. 10294 (2018) prohibits the posting of campaign materials on trees and outside “common poster areas.”
“We have to make sure that none of the materials produced for this campaign end up in our seas or in landfills.”
“Ang sinumang mapapatunayang lalabag ay maaring patawan ng parusa sa ilalim ng kautusang nabanggit at sampahan ng kasong kriminal sa ilalim ng Republic Act No. 3571,” the tweet read.
Ubac said that Section 3 of RA 3571 says that “no cutting, destroying or injuring of planted or growing trees, flowering plants and shrubs or plants of scenic value along public roads, in plazas, parks, school premises or in any other public ground shall be permitted save when the cutting, destroying or injuring of same is necessary for public safety, or such pruning of same is necessary to enhance its beauty.”
The law further states that “any person who shall cut, destroy or injure trees, flowering plants and shrubs or plants of scenic value… shall be punished by prision correccional in its minimum period to prision mayor in its minimum period.”
