Environmental Issues Pushed in Barangay, SK Campaigns

With the start of campaign period for the
Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections Thursday, green
advocates appealed to all candidates to take into consideration the
condition of the environment during and after the electoral campaign.

“The October 25 polls provide an exceptional platform for would-be
public servants to make a stand for the environment. We call upon all
candidates and their supporters to conduct a simple and caring
campaign that will preserve and protect the community environment from
destructive practices,” EcoWaste Secretary Dr. Leah Primitiva
Samaco-Paquiz said.

“We further request them to emphasize environmental and health
education, protection and mobilization at the grassroots as integral
components of their proposed program of government,” she added.

All candidates aspiring for some 330,000 elective posts in the
country’s more than 42,000 barangays are urged to adopt some
guidelines prepared by EcoWaste to keep wastefree elections.

The group reminded the candidates to prevent from nailing, hanging and
pasting of campaign materials on trees and other places prohibited by
the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

It also asked the aspirants not to produce too much campaign materials
that would only end up as garbage.

During sorties, candidates were recommended to prevent blasting
extremely loud political jingles and speeches and leaving trash.

EcoWaste also proposed that all those running for the polls should
assign 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.

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.

They should also spare the trees of propaganda materials that can harm
and even kill them, and reject graffiti or vandalism when asking for
the electorate’s support.

Posted in: Environmental Issues