A DAVAO City-based environmental group emphasized the importance of reminding local and national candidates to collect all the materials they posted for the 2025 midterm elections.
Lawyer Mark Peñalver, executive director of Interfacing Development Interventions for Sustainability (Idis), said that the large volume of campaign paraphernalia significantly contributes to the city’s waste problem. He stressed that candidates should take responsibility for retrieving their election materials.
“Hopefully with the resolution nga gi-reissue ni Mayor Baste mag-comply tanan candidates win or lose kay ang mapildi lang gyud diri, kung dili nato hiposon atoang mga basura or ang mga campaign paraphernalia, are ang kinaiyahan and of course ang mga tao, mga Dabawenyos na maapektuhan sa impact sa basura” he told SunStar Davao on May 11, 2025.
(Hopefully, with the resolution reissued by Mayor Baste [Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte], all candidates whether they win or lose will comply, because the ones who will really lose if we don’t retrieve our trash or campaign paraphernalia are the environment and, of course, the people, the Dabawenyos who will be affected by the impact of the garbage).
Peñalver said that Idis had written to Duterte, urging him to re-enact the resolution first implemented by then-Davao City mayor, now Vice President Sara Duterte, which mandates the retrieval, reuse, and recycling of all election paraphernalia from both local and national campaigns. This comes after a noticeable increase in the number of election materials compared to previous elections.
He said that with the constant rain, they have observed that some of the election paraphernalia clogged the waterways and are scattering in random places in the city. He added that if left uncollected, these campaign paraphernalia would eventually end up in the waterways, clogging them and eventually causing flooding.
Peñalver added that these discarded materials harm not only the environment but also marine animals and surrounding wildlife when they end up in bodies of water.
He emphasized that PVC tarpaulins, in particular, pose risks not only to the environment but also to human and animal health.
Idis raised concerns about these types of tarpaulins, citing a study by the EcoWaste Coalition. According to the EcoWaste Coalition study, PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride) tarpaulins contain high levels of Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs), especially phthalates, which are highly carcinogenic to human health.
Peñalver expressed hope that in future elections, politicians would reduce their use of PVC materials and instead demonstrate their presence and dedication to constituents throughout the year. He said being present, approachable, and available is the most effective campaign strategy, rather than simply displaying campaign materials.
He also encouraged candidates to coordinate with Idis when recovering their election materials as Idis partners with organizations like Toril Kalambuan, which upcycles used materials into bags, accessories, and slippers.
The city also has recycling companies where candidates can turn over their campaign waste, helping to prevent these materials from ending up in the city’s sanitary landfill.
Earlier, the City Government of Davao released Executive Order No. 6, series of 2025, requiring local candidates to form teams responsible for retrieving, reusing, and recycling their election paraphernalia.
The order states that campaign materials must be properly disposed of or returned to recycling centers to avoid contributing further to the city’s growing waste problem.
“The City Government urges local and national candidates to be responsible in ensuring that their campaign materials are disposed of and properly managed after election day, as these paraphernalia will no longer serve their purpose,” the executive ordinance said.
Meanwhile, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) released an advisory on May 9, 2025, activating Special Task Force Baklas 2025. The advisory reminds all candidates, party-list groups, and the general public that campaign materials such as posters, streamers, billboards, tarpaulins, and other similar propaganda must be removed from both public and private areas no later than midnight of May 11, 2025.
Comelec directed candidates and party-list groups to conduct a full and immediate cleanup of campaign materials, in accordance with election laws, the Fair Elections Act, and relevant Comelec resolutions.
They warned that non-compliance with the directive would be considered a violation of election rules and could serve as grounds for administrative disqualification and prosecution under election offense laws. RGP
