Tricycles become mobile poster boards for bets of barangay polls

As the campaign period for the Oct. 25 barangay (village) and Sangguniang Kabataan (youth council) elections progressed, tricycles and pedicabs in parts of Metro Manila were turned into mobile poster boards. In Manila, stickers of candidates were placed on the rear of tricycles in the Intramuros and Malate districts. But some pedicabs and tricycles became virtual common poster areas, with the campaign materials of entire tickets plastered in the front part of the sidecar.

The campaign period got off to a festive but messy start Thursday, with some candidates holding street parties and others placing campaign materials on posts and even hanging them on electric wires. Meanwhile, ecological activists appealed to candidates in the October 25 elections to keep their campaign clean and environment-friendly. The EcoWaste Coalition particularly exhorted the bets not to repeat the environmental lapses of candidates the May 10 national and local elections. “Let us not forget the wastefulness of the May 2010 local and national elections and together aim for an environmentally-responsible exercise of our right to suffrage," EcoWaste president Roy Alvarez said on the group's blog site. “As potential leaders in the frontline of public service, we expect all the candidates to demonstrate their commitment to protect and preserve the community environment by campaigning 'clean and green,’" he added. He said some candidates in last May's elections committed "major, major" lapses such as nailing campaign materials on trees and other prohibited areas. Other lapses included wasting too much campaign funds and materials, driving smoke-belching campaign vehicles, blasting loud political jingles and speeches, leaving trash in campaign sorties and not removing campaign items after the polls. "Another major, major shortcoming that we have observed was the failure on the part of most politicians to integrate the environmental agenda into their campaign platforms and pledges," EcoWaste added. The group re-issued its practical guidelines for a "clean and green" campaign, including assigning a person or team in the campaign structure who will be responsible for greening the campaign strategies and activities. Candidates should refrain from using excessive campaign materials such as leaflets, pamphlets, posters, stickers, decals, cloth and tarpaulin streamers, and other campaign paraphernalia. As much as possible, propaganda materials should be in post-consumer recycled paper and carry a friendly reminder that says “para sa ating kalusugan at kalikasan, huwag pong ikalat, itambak o sunugin" or its equivalent in local languages. Candidates should refrain from using campaign materials that are hardly reused or recycled such as confetti, buntings and balloons, which often get burned or discarded in waterways, seas and dumpsites. Politicos should spare the trees of propaganda materials that can harm and even kill them, and reject graffiti or vandalism to popularize themselves. For litter-free campaign meetings, sorties and related activities, the EcoWaste Coalition recommends the following:

Shun throwing confetti, exploding firecrackers or releasing balloons in campaign events.

Refrain from using Styrofoam, plastic bags and other single-use containers for volunteers’ meals and drinks.

Set up segregated waste bins for biodegradable and non-biodegradable discards in campaign assemblies.

Designate “eco-volunteers" to look after the bins and guide the public in the proper separation of their discards.

Clean up right after the campaign event.

Hire eco-aides to handle the segregated wastes for recycling and composting. — LBG, GMANews.TV