Ending a culture of vandalism

INDISCRIMINATE posting of campaign materials has become a way of election life for Philippine politicians. Meanwhile, the authorities, particularly the Commission on Election (Comelec), have by and large rendered themselves helpless against the situation. And the public has over the years come to accept it, simply shrugging its shoulders at the horrible spectacle of faces plastered on practically every available public spaces and (Mother Nature forbid!) on trees, and flying about on banners and tarpaulins everywhere.

But if there’s a will to change, there’s a way. And Comelec’s provincial officer here, Atty. Reddy Balarbar, has mustered a strong resolve that in this year’s national and local elections, things will have to be different.

Mr. Balarbar knows that his mission under “Operation Baklas” of ridding the province of campaign materials wantonly placed outside the designated poster areas would be impossible for the Comelec to achieve by itself. And so he has wisely tapped the help of the provincial government, other government agencies, and the police. His plea, thankfully, has not fallen on deaf ears. Gov. Amado Espino Jr. has even extended the call to all local government officials, most of whom are themselves candidates and potential violators of the Comelec rule on posting of political advertisements or propaganda materials. Now we will have to see how true the Comelec and the task force created by Espino will be to their avowed goal of exempting no one in the clean-up of the province.

Now is a good time as any to see all the posters and streamers, whether for political propaganda or business promo, torn down and removed. These eyesores are but another form of vandalism. The communities must take a stand with the Comelec and send a firm message to our politicians that we will no longer tolerate this culture of vandalism.

But without pouring water on his enthusiasm, it comes as a surprise that as a lawyer, Mr. Balarbar does not appear to be ready to throw the books at the political culprits. While Oplan Baklas may show some encouraging results today, there is a good chance that all the efforts will eventually come to naught when the local campaign period starts and Comelec and its allies will no longer have the strength, nor the will to pursue the oplan to the end because of the enormity of the task at hand, simply chasing after the all illegal posters.

Comelec must apply the force of the law, not simply engage in a physical chase.

Nonetheless, beyond the election season, Operation Baklas should actually be a year round policy, one that will be strictly implemented by all government agencies. The campaign period only covers the timeframe when political propaganda can be legally installed or posted, but laws and ordinances against vandalism, destruction of pubic properties and trees have long been laid out and are just waiting to be enforced.

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