A day after the midterm elections, the Department of the Interior and Local Government called on all local officials and candidates to lead the clean-up drive and remove their election campaign materials immediately.
“The immediate task at hand is to call on your supporters to clean-up and rid our communities of poll trash,” said Interior Secretary Eduardo Año.
“Win or lose, show that you are a good sport and that you have the best intentions for your communities by being part of the clean-up drive in your areas,” Año said.
Año said that all Barangay chairmen, mayors, and governors should lead in the clean-up together with LGU employees especially the Sanitation Division or Environmental Management Office.
Año said, he expected that, as in previous elections, there would be tons of trash left in the roads and public places leading to and in the polling precincts because of the numerous election campaign posters, sample ballots, flyers, leaflets, tarpaulins distributed by the candidates.
Last year, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority hauled numerous truckloads of garbage composed of posters, tarpaulins and plastics after the elections in several areas of Metro Manila alone.
Año stressed that cleaning up election trash would not only make the surroundings clean but “will also be an opportunity for our people to gather and work together, turn a new page, and look forward to more good things for our people and for our nation.”
The DILG chief said the clean-up efforts in public schools which served as polling precincts should be fast tracked in time for the opening of classes in June. “We must clean-up the schools and adjoining areas to prepare for the opening of classes in June,” he says.
He called on everyone to work together and act fast in cleaning up election trash because these might clog canals and waterways which might later cause flooding.
