Baguio City: The Commission on Elections (Comelec) in the Cordillera region has reiterated its policy on the common poster areas for campaign materials and urged candidates and their supporters to spare the trees.
According to Philippines News Agency, Comelec regional director, lawyer Julius Torres, emphasized that there are designated common poster areas where candidates and their supporters can place campaign materials. While they cannot prohibit placements on private properties, they strongly appeal to candidates to avoid nailing campaign materials on trees. He noted that the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) enforces a law against harming trees, even those on private properties.
The DENR has consistently warned that hammering nails into trees can gradually kill them. Torres highlighted that campaign materials are permitted only in Comelec-designated areas and are not allowed on electric posts, waiting sheds, and other public places not marked as common poster areas.
Torres explained that improperly placed campaign materials would be removed through 'operation baklas,' a collaborative effort with the Philippine National Police and the Department of Public Works and Highways. However, this operation cannot be conducted on private properties, only in public areas not designated as common poster areas.
