EDITORIAL - No ningas cogon

On Day One of the official campaign period, officials of the Commission on Elections expressed disappointment over the proliferation of campaign materials displayed in unauthorized spots all over the country.

Members of the Metro Manila Development Authority, assisted by personnel of the Comelec and Philippine National Police, began removing illegally posted campaign materials. As of yesterday, the teams had collected 1.83 tons of materials in parts of Manila, Quezon City and Makati alone in what has been dubbed “Oplan Baklas.”

This should serve as a warning and herald the start of a sustained, no-nonsense campaign to implement an election regulation that has long been flouted by practically all candidates and political parties.

Candidates should welcome the strict enforcement of the rules. Confining their campaign materials to designated areas would save them expenses, which jump exponentially as election day nears and rivals plaster their materials over those of their opponents almost daily.

Abiding by campaign expense ceilings previously set by the Comelec mean dramatic savings for all candidates. Unfortunately, the ceilings have been rendered meaningless by the Supreme Court, in rulings that effectively abolished the concept of premature campaigning and made the sky the limit in campaign spending.

The Comelec, however, has not yet been emasculated in its effort to regulate the display of campaign materials. Election campaigns turn the country into a giant trash receptacle, with posters plastered on every wall and lamp post and streamers strung from tree limbs, power lines and even traffic lights. In many areas, the overwhelming proliferation of campaign materials renders the candidates’ names and messages unreadable, defeating their purpose.

Beyond removing the illegally posted materials, the Comelec can show that it means business by imposing penalties on those who violate the rules. The start of Oplan Baklas should serve as a warning. The Comelec should make clear that at a certain point, violators would suffer penalties that become heavier with each repeat offense.

Major political parties should take the lead in abiding by the rules, but they have consistently been the top offenders in previous elections. It is up to the public to compel compliance with election rules. People can do their part by reporting violations and taking photos or video and posting these on social media. The Comelec has teamed up with Facebook and Twitter for this.

Oplan Baklas should not be another flash in the pan or ningas cogon. This is one campaign that can work and deserves widespread support.