Following the mushrooming of a new wave of “thank-you” political ads in several areas of the metropolis after the elections, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) appealed Tuesday to elected national and local officials to do away with displaying such posters, banners or tarpaulins as they only contribute to post-election garbage.

MMDA Chairman Oscar Inocentes said there are other ways for elected candidates to celebrate their victory or express their gratitude to their supporters

“The best they could do is lead their constituents on a cleanup drive in their community. They’re not only setting up a good example but it is also a big help to us here at the MMDA,” Inocentes said.

He pointed out that the streamers and other similar materials will only obstruct drainages and canals once they fall to the ground and get scattered by wind. Blocked drainages in turn worsen floods during the rainy season.

Just a day after the holding of the country’s first automated elections, the MMDA launched its “Operation Baklas” cleanup drive to rid major thoroughfares and secondary roads in Metro Manila of election campaign posters.

Inocentes said they have so far cleared the seven major roads of Metro Manila: Epifanio de los Santos Ave. (EDSA), Roxas Boulevard, C-5, McArthur Highway, R-10, Commonwealth Avenue, and Marcos Highway.

Last Friday, the agency also cleaned up the stretch of Taft Avenue, from Baclaran to Monumento, and several areas in Manila. Clearing operations are still ongoing along President Quirino Avenue, Ramon Magsaysay Boulevard, President Osmeña, Araneta Avenue, España, Quezon Avenue, and Ortigas Avenue.

“Please stop putting up new tarpaulins, banners, or posters. We will never finish our cleanup work if we keep on adding new ones,” Inocentes said in a message to the elected candidates.

Monitoring teams have reported the proliferation of “thank-you” advertisements on Metro Manila’s streets. Majority of the political materials were from winners of local elections that bore the winning politicians’ images and thank-you messages to their constituents for voting for them.

The MMDA’s Flood Control Management Office (FCMO) has started conducting massive dredging of waterways and drainages in Metro Manila, focusing its dredging works in flood-prone areas.

Baltazar said they have started the cleanup of the drainage at the EDSA-Aurora Boulevard underpass, which easily gets flooded because of garbage that clogged its inlets.

“If we keep on throwing our trash anywhere, our efforts will always become useless,” Inocentes said in appealing to the public to observe proper waste disposal.