MMDA: Restrict candidates’ use of roads

2010 CAMPAIGN TRAIL Liberal Party standard-bearer Noynoy Aquino and his running mate Mar Roxas along with senatorial candidates Risa Hontiveros of Akbayan and Franklin Drilon of LP on a motorcade in San Miguel, Bulacan. MALACAÑANG PHOTO

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) wants to regulate the use of roads for political candidates’ proclamation rallies, motorcades and miting de avance.

“That’s what we talked about, (Commission on Elections) Comelec Chair Andres Bautista and I. Can we regulate the use of roads if there are rallies and motorcades? Can they (candidates) also ask for a permit from us before they hold a rally [as many people will be affected]?” MMDA Chair Emerson Carlos told reporters at the agency’s headquarters on Thursday.

According to Carlos, Bautista told him: “OK. Let’s see what resolution we can issue.”

He added it was important to regulate the use of major roads in Metro Manila, even secondary thoroughfares, as their closure would have an effect on surrounding areas.

In a related development, Carlos also announced that the MMDA would deploy 12 teams to remove campaign materials displayed outside the common poster areas designated by the Comelec starting Tuesday.

Carlos said each team would be composed of 11 members: one from the poll body and the rest from the MMDA.

“We have been deputized to remove the posters. Our focus are trees that bear candidates as fruits, light posts that have posters covering the lights, traffic signals you can’t see anymore because of a candidate’s posters, and electrical cables [bearing posters],” he added.

According to Carlos, each team’s “secondary mandate” was to dispose of the posters that were taken down.

“We can use them to make tents just like what we did before. We can recycle them if they are recyclable,” he said, adding that the candidates whose posters were taken down would be reported to the Comelec.

“The [Comelec] can ask who put up the poster, determine what his or her liability is, or even the liability of the candidates involved,” Carlos said.  –Kristine Felisse Mangunay