MANILA -- Candidates have been asked by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to order their supporters not to leave trash in polling places, and remove campaign posters and banners after Monday’s midterm elections.
"It is about time we change the face of Philippine politics with clean elections defined not only by an intelligent electorate, but a trash-free one as well,” said Environment Secretary Ramon Paje.
He also asked local government leaders, whether they win or lose, to conduct post-election clean up drive in their respective localities.
"Voluntarily making May 14 as a cleanup and recycling day is the best way of finishing off a good fight, the nicest way of saying ‘thank you’ to the electorate, and the quickest way of putting the politically divisive campaign behind us," said Tin Vergara, zero waste campaigner of environmental group EcoWaste Coalition.
Earlier, the DENR teamed up with the Commission on Elections and the Department of the Interior and Local Government for the launching of a campaign dubbed “Basura-Free Election 2013: Kalat Ko Sisinupin Ko.”
The three agencies issued a joint memorandum circular (JMC) to make sure that local officials, political parties, party-list organizations, candidates and their supporters would adhere to the provisions of Republic Act 9003, or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000, during the campaign period.
RA 9003 provides for a systematic, comprehensive and ecological solid waste management system to ensure the protection of public health and the environment through the adoption of environmentally sound methods like waste avoidance and volume reduction.
Litterbugs, upon conviction, shall be fined between P300 and P1,000 or render community service from one to 15 days or both. (Virgil Lopez/Sunnex)