Makati to penalize village bets violating poll ad rules

By DJ Yap Inquirer MANILA, Philippines--Candidates running for barangay (village) or Sangguniang Kabataan (youth council) posts in Makati City were warned not to violate election laws on the posting of campaign materials, lest they get fined. The city government of Makati, through its environmental services department, also asked the candidates to minimize the use of campaign posters and to post them only on exterior walls allowed by the Commission on Elections. "These campaign materials are eyesores and we do not want our city to be littered with them," city environment department chief Danilo Villas said on Thursday. "Now that we are approaching the official campaign period, which will start on October 19, we must step up our efforts to ensure that our environmental and election laws are upheld in Makati," he said. He called on the candidates to comply with the city's ordinance prohibiting the defacement of walls and public spaces and avoid posting campaign materials on walls and lampposts along major roads. Villas said his office has been directed to remove all campaign materials posted outside the Comelec designated areas, in accordance with the Makati Solid Waste Code as well as election laws covering campaign materials. Under the Code, individual violators are fined P1, 000, while organizations are required to pay P5, 000. Villas, who also heads the Association of Metro Manila Environment Officers, reminded the candidates that they should first obtain the consent of homeowners if they wanted to post campaign materials on the walls of private residences. He also urged residents to report candidates seen violating the laws.