Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista has signed an ordinance banning the use of polyethylene for advertising and campaign materials.
The ordinance is meant to help regulate the use of plastic in the city, which has already required businesses to use paper bags instead of plastic. According to the ordinance, “the expansive use of plastic posters as campaign materials and their typical disposal creates litter problems for the city.” The discarded plastic posters also clog sewers and canals, contributing to flooded streets, the ordinance said.
Candidates will be given a warning for using polyethylene posters but will be fined up to P3,000 if they violate the ordinance again. They will also have to perform community service for three days. A third offense will mean a fine of P5,000 and another three days of community service.
Businesses that use polyethylene advertising materials will also be fined and could lose their business permits on the third offense.
Mayor Bautista has deputized the Quezon City Environmental Protection and Waste Management Department, Parks Development and Administration Department, and the Quezon City Police to remove, dismantle, and confiscate all plastic advertisement and propaganda materials in the city.
Unfortunately, although Quezon City has banned plastic posters and cut down on the use of plastic bags, it has yet to ban plastic politicians.
