By Betheena Kae Unite More than a thousand campaign materials in Northern Mindanao that were installed within the government's road right-of-way have been dismantled, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) said Thursday. According to Secretary Mark Villar, the task force has started removing campaign materials tagged as road right-of-way encroachments in national highways in other parts of the country. "We have already started removing obstructive materials in the provinces across the country while the task force in Metro Manila started the program Friday, February 28," Villar said. Under Presidential Decree No. 1096 or the National Building Code of the Philippines and Section 23 of Presidential Decree No. 17 or the Revised Philippine Highways Act, it is illegal to usurp or obstruct any portion of the road right-of-way by installing private or permanent structures, such as stalls, sheds, billboards, signages, and advertisements, Villar explained. The secretary also debunked claims that some maintenance personnel of the department were seen installing campaign paraphernalia. Contrary to reports, the DPWH Regional Office 3 has also started taking down campaign materials in Nueva Ecija, he said. Various government offices and law enforcement agencies, including the DPWH, formed a task force to ensure peaceful and credible national and local elections come May. Pursuant to Commission on Elections (COMELEC) Resolution No. 10471, 35 government agencies and government-owned or controlled corporations were mobilized to provide different services such as transportation services, security, education and information campaign, and others for the exclusive purpose of guaranteeing orderly and honest campaign period leading to national elections. The DPWH is working with the Metro Manila Development Authority, Philippine National Police, and COMELEC in removing unlawful campaign materials that obstruct national roads through its Baklas Billboard Program.