More than four tons of assorted election materials were collected in Iloilo City following the conclusion of the May 2025 elections, as the city government intensified its cleanup efforts to restore public spaces.
General Services Office (GSO) head Engr. Neil Ravena said the city government has already removed around 4.5 tons of election-related waste from streets, schools, utility poles, and trees across the city since the start of post-election operations.
Ravena said they collected 900 kilograms on the first day, 1.14 tons on the second day, and 2.6 tons on Thursday. He added that they expect to clear the remaining estimated one ton of materials by Friday, May 15.
“We have 26 coastal barangays, and we don’t want tarps and plastics to reach our coastlines,” he added.
The city government has designated a temporary holding area for the collected tarpaulins, which will be processed immediately.
A baling machine will be used to extract refuse-derived fuel from low-density plastic materials while the tarpaulins will be turned over to the waste pickers’ association in Barangay Calahunan for recycling, he explained.
The GSO head also appealed to owners of private properties to take down the campaign materials.
Political candidates and parties were also urged to take responsibility for the proper disposal of their campaign materials, in line with the Commission on Elections’ (Comelec) guidelines on eco-friendly campaigning.
Ravena said most of the collected materials are being sorted for recycling or proper disposal.
He also reminded future candidates to explore the use of sustainable and biodegradable materials for their campaign needs.PNA
