Environmental Issues Pushed in Barangay and SK Campaigns

By ELLALYN B. DE VERA/ October 14, 2010/ http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/282211/environmental-issues-pushed-barangay-sk-campaigns

MANILA, Philippines – 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.