ILOILO City – The city government is ramping up pressure on political parties and candidates to take responsibility for post-election litter, after hauling over two tons of campaign materials in just two days.
The General Services Office (GSO), spearheading the intensified “Baklas Operation,” began clearing campaign-related waste on May 13, a day after the elections, in line with Mayor Jerry Treñas’ directive to restore public order and cleanliness.
According to GSO chief Engr. Neil Ravena, more than 1.5 tons of discarded tarpaulins, streamers, and posters were collected on the first day alone, with Wednesday’s cleanup pushing the total past two tons.
The city’s major public spaces — plazas, roadsides, and government buildings — have mostly been cleared, though Ravena noted that materials still remain on private properties.
Collected waste is being transported to the city’s recycling center in Barangay Calajunan, Mandurriao district where local waste pickers are helping segregate and repurpose the debris into reusable items like bags and containers. The initiative not only curbs environmental pollution but also supports community livelihoods.
To streamline the cleanup, the GSO has directed all barangays to set up collection points where residents and political parties can deposit their used materials. This decentralized system has helped the “Baklas Team” collect waste more efficiently.
The city is also leaning on legal backing. Under Commission on Elections (Comelec) rules, candidates are required to remove their campaign materials within five days after the polls — something the city is actively monitoring.
“We’re calling on all political groups to cooperate and clean up their own posters,” Ravena said. “The GSO cannot shoulder the entire burden. The city’s main thoroughfares and landmarks must not remain littered with campaign debris. It affects not only our city’s image but also our environment.”
Ravena said the cleanup will continue until the city is cleared of all election-related clutter./PN
