For the first time, polling precincts in the municipality of Angono in Rizal, known as the “Art Capital of the Country”, became litter-free on election day.
From the opening of polling places at 7 a.m. until closing time at 3 p.m., no sample ballots, leaflets or campaign materials littered the surroundings of schools used as voting precincts.
At Angono Elementary School, the polling center which has 54 clustered precincts for voters in Barangay San Isidro, was clean, according to Ricardo Crisostomo, a person with disability (PWD).
Crisostomo told Manila Bulletin that he was happy to see that there was no trash of election materials in the surroundings of the polling center unlike in the previous elections.
The voter said although he had to go up to the second floor where his precinct was located, he was satisfied with the way the election was held this year.
Frendy del Rosario, Angono’s election officer, told Manila Bulletin that the absence of election trash in the vicinity of the polling places in Angono could be attributed to the strict guidelines which he issued and disseminated to all barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan candidates.
In his reminders, a copy of which was obtained by Manila Bulletin, Del Rosario informed the candidates about the ban on distributing any campaign materials from October 29 to 30, including distribution of sample ballots.
Setting-up of tents, holding meetings, and posting of any campaign materials in the vicinity of the polling places were also prohibited according to Del Rosario.
Earlier, the Commission on Elections-Angono had conducted series of “Oplan Baklas” or removal of illegal campaign posters and materials.
Del Rosario said the entire proceeding went smoothly with only some minor glitches such as difficulty in looking for the names of the voters in the list of voters.
With the help of the volunteers and school personnel designated by the Comelec as persons in authority in the precincts, the problems were immediately resolved, according to the election officer.
Police and military personnel manning the help desk at the Angono Elementary School did not receive any election-related complaints as of this posting.
