Last May 14, the day after the Midterm elections commenced, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) estimated that 145.42 tons of campaign materials had been collected.
And that was just the amount after one day of clean up. Campaign posters, banderitas, flyers, and the like continue to litter the streets of the Philippines.
Photo from ABS-CBN
Manila was named the city with the highest amount of campaign trash within Metro Manila at around 30,000 pieces of trash. Quezon City followed with 25,000 pieces, then Paranaque with 13,000 pieces and Makati with 10,400 pieces. Caloocan rounds out the highest contributors with 8,000 pieces.
(60 billion sachets and 17.5 billion plastic bags are thrown each year in the Philippines)
In response to this alarming amount, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) released a statement pressing candidates, especially winning officials, to lead the clean-up themselves:
Tapos na po ang halalan at nakapili na ang mga mamamayan kung sino sa palagay nila ang karapat-dapat na magsagwan sa kanila tungo sa tunay na pagbabago. [Elections are over and the people have chosen who they believe is worthy of leading and bringing them to change.] The immediate task at hand is to call on your supporters to clean up and rid our communities of poll trash.”
(This is why just switching to metal straws might not save the environment)
Likewise, environmental group EcoWaste Coalition urged all candidates to take responsibility for their waste. They also propose that the Commission on Elections (Comelec) take a more active role regarding this by restricting non-biodegradable and toxic materials in future elections.
How do you think we can lessen this problem for the next elections?
