Clean campaign

IN LESS than two weeks it’s going to be Election Day. But it’s not too late for well-meaning candidates to literally clean up their campaign sorties. They should use their moral influence to request their supporters to mind their garbage – campaign leaflets, cardboard hand fans, plastic bottles, polystyrene food containers, fast food wrappers, snack packs and fish ball sticks, among others.

While political parties and party list groups and their candidates and supporters are focused on their campaigns, we remind them to be conscious of and comply with Republic Act 9003, the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act.

It has been observed that even before the campaign period started, there is already unabashed littering everywhere across the country. Every political party, party-list group and candidate should make it their goal to ensure that their rallies and other campaign activities are garbage-free.

All candidates and their camps should apply the following “5Rs” towards eco-friendly campaigning:

* “Reduce” trash by not littering and not using campaign materials that are barely reused or recycled. * “Refuse” overspending for campaign advertisements and materials.

* “Re t r i e v e ” c a m p a i g n paraphernalia for reusing or recycling purposes

* “Respect” the trees by keeping them poster-free.

* “Remove” election campaign materials immediately after the polling day.

Indeed, there is no justification for turning parks, plazas and streets into dumping grounds. It’s totally unacceptable to litter even in the exercise of democratic rights. It’s not right even if we know that street cleaners will pick up after us without complaining.