Candidates for the 2022 polls were urged by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to help local government units (LGUs) and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) rid the streets of campaign materials.
Poll Commissioner Rey E. Bulay on Monday, May 9, said if the candidates who ran this 2022 polls are really public servants, they should help LGUs and the MMDA in collecting campaign materials.
“Pagkatapos po ng araw na ito ay tulungan po natin ang mga LGU natin, ang MMDA natin na magligpit nung lahat ng kalat na nakikita natin (After this day, let’s help our LGUs and the MMDA clean up all the campaign materials),” he appealed.
If needed, Bulay said the poll body will pass a Comelec resolution just to force candidates to help in collecting the campaign materials.
“Kung nakalimutan man po naming magpasa ng batas o Commission resolution ay maghahabol po kami. Mayroon naman po kaming continuing quorum (If we have forgotten to pass a law or a Commission resolution, we will then hasten making one. We still have a continuing quorum),” said the Comelec commissioner.
In 2019, MMDA alone collected over 168 tons of discarded campaign materials in the metropolis.
The collected campaign materials were made available by the agency to recyclers and those interested in transforming the materials into bags, mats, and other useful items.