INTERIOR Secretary Eduardo Año yesterday urged local government units (LGUs) and even candidates in the recently-concluded elections to remove and dispose campaign materials in the next three days.
“Clean-up of election litter is the first order of business after the polls,” said Año.
“Aside from incumbent LGU officials, we urge all candidates, winners and non-winners alike, to take it upon themselves to lead in the removal of their campaign materials,” added Año.
In advisory, Año told local chief executives (LCEs) to dispose all election materials in compliance with environmental laws and local ordinances and regulations against illegal dumping, open burning and littering.
Año said LGU recovery facilities should be used to collect and restore reusable materials.
“Impose the responsibility on the organizers of political activities to ensure that waste generated by their activities, and their attendees will be properly managed and disposed of,” he said in the advisory to LCEs.
Año also urged the public to help in the clean-up drive in their respective LGUs.
“We have done our part in exercising our right to vote. Let’s continue to participate in governance through our simple ways of cleaning up our neighborhood from election litter,” he said.
Año said campaign materials, especially those made of plastics and other non-biodegradable materials, have negative effects on public health and environment if not properly disposed of.
In the 2019 elections, Año said some 168.84 tons of campaign materials were collected.
