WHAT’S happening in Boracay should open people’s eyes to the importance of taking care of the island – a source of livelihood of thousands of people and a big generator of revenues for the government.
But this concern for Boracay should not just be confined to the world-famous island resort. It should make everyone serious stewards of the environment – wherever, whenever.
For example, this upcoming synchronized barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections we should waste no time preparing for cleaner and greener polls. Elections in our country are marked by wastefulness. There is unbridled consumption of paper and plastic propaganda materials; unrestrained littering in public assemblies; open burning and dumping of campaign trash; and illegal posting of posters and banners on trees and other forbidden places.
EcoWaste Coalition, a waste and pollution watch group, has made a timely call. It presses the Commission on Elections and all candidates to rally behind a waste-free exercise of grassroots democracy. The nine-day campaign period from May 4 to 12 need not add to the swelling garbage problem facing many of our communities. Instead of dirty political sorties, aspiring barangay and youth leaders should campaign in a clean manner that will reduce the generation of trash and prevent damage to the environment.
They can start by using recyclable and environment-friendly campaign materials, and avoid campaign materials that contain hazardous chemicals, as stated in Comelec Resolution No. 9615. Yes, they should abide by Republic Act 9003, or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act, which, among other things, prohibits littering, open dumping and open burning of trash.
We also look forward to seeing all candidates include the protection of public health and the environment against waste and pollution in their campaign platforms.
Comelec can certainly use its legal and moral authority to sway candidates and their supporters to campaign in an environmentally-responsible and non-toxic way as this is beneficial for our nation and people.
A clean and green election? We know it is a tall order but we hope to see less trash in the upcoming polls.
