Agencies remove illegal posters

BAGUIO CITY – The Cordillera offices of the Department of Public Works and Highways and Department of Environment and Natural Resources started their campaign to remove illegal campaign posters of national and local candidates illegally posted within road-right-of-way limits and nailed on trees which are in violation of existing laws and regulations.

The campaign of the concerned agencies against illegally posted campaign materials was intensified after environmentalists raised concern on the rampant violation of campaigners in the posting of campaign materials by unscrupulous and erring supporters.

Alexander Castaneda, DPW assistant regional director, said the agency has jurisdiction over the road-right-of-way limits of roads in the different parts of the region, thus, they are mandated to remove destructions placed by erring campaigners in order to avoid future accidents that could result to loss of lives and damage to properties.

Castaneda, an engineer, said all roads must be freed from the campaign materials of national and local candidates so that the attention of motorists will not be destructed from their focus in maneuvering their vehicles.

Initially, DPWH personnel in the different parts of the region tore down hundreds of sacks of illegally posted campaign materials of national and local candidates which were posted along major road networks in order to warn their supporters not to repeat the same.

Castaneda also ordered the different field units of the agency to re-paint the various stone walls that were painted with the names of candidates as part of their national campaign so that added destructions of motorists will be avoided.

For his part, Clarence Baguilat, DEN regional director, also reported thousands of campaign posters and materials of national and candidates that were nailed on trees along major roads in the region have already been removed by their employees in order to spare the trees from the destructive activities of the candidates and their supporters.-- Dexter A. See