RESPONDING to the Commission on Election’s call to post only in “common posting areas,” members and volunteers of Kabataan Partylist trooped to several Comelec-designated areas in Metro Manila today to post campaign materials in said designated areas .
“Upon receiving the notice sent by Comelec regarding the posting of illegal campaign materials, we immediately instructed our members to remove all illegally posted campaign materials and comply with the guidelines stipulated in Comelec Resolution No. 9615,” said Atty. Terry Ridon, Kabataan Partylist president and general counsel.
“We have also sent Comelec a letter of compliance, with photos of areas where campaign posters were removed, including parts of Taft Avenue and the Polytechnic University of the Philippines,” Ridon said. (See attachment for copy of letter of compliance)
In full compliance with Comelec Resolution No. 9615, members of Kabataan Partylist made rounds today and posted materials in designated common posting areas. Several teams also made ocular inspections in major thoroughfares to ensure that all illegally-posted materials are removed.
However, the youth group lamented the “poor choice of locations” for posting areas, noting that many of the said venues are not frequented by the general public. The youth group noted that common posting areas such as barangay halls, basketball courts, and vacant lots are usually located in inconspicuous areas, thereby defeating the purpose of posting campaign materials.
“Grassroots partylists like Kabataan don’t have large campaign funds that can be taped to buy airtime on TV and radio, and that is why we greatly depend on printed materials and online campaigning. The strict rules on posting campaign materials – coupled with the discreet common posting areas provided by Comelec – render our campaign efforts ineffective, as we are not able to send our message to a larger portion of the population,” Ridon said.
Kabataan Partylist called on Comelec to grant additional common posting areas in well-populated and more conspicuous vicinities.
“Sana i-review ng Comelec ‘yung mga designated common posting area. Wala namang dumadaan o naglalagi sa kalakhan ng mga nakalistang posting area. Kung pwede ho, ang request namin kina Chairman Brillantes ay payagan kaming magtayo ng karagdagang common posting areas sa mas matataong lugar,” Ridon said.
“If grassroots partylists are not allowed to set up additional posting areas situated in more visible areas, the essence of fairness in the Fair Elections Act will be lost. Ang mangyayari, pera-pera na lang ulit. Kung sinong makakabili ng airtime sa TV at radyo, ‘yun ang mas makakaluwag sa kampanya. Such situation further marginalizes groups that do not have enough funds or machinery. Where’s fairness in that?” Ridon asked.
Meanwhile, youth group Anakbayan also slammed Comelec’s “double standards” on the implementation of campaign rules and regulations, criticizing Comelec’s leniency on certain candidates, particularly the Liberal Party.
“On one hand we see a staunch Comelec, bullying grassroots candidates to strictly comply with campaign posting rules. On the other hand, we see a Noynoy fanatic in Chairman Brillantes, who’s ready to defend any allegation of fraud or election wrongdoing anytime,” Anakbayan National Chair Vencer Crisostomo said.
The youth leader was referring to a particular instant in which Comelec Chair Brillantes defended the alleged distribution of PhilHealth cards during Liberal Party sorties.
“The youth is disgusted by the way the president is utilizing government institutions to gain advantage in the upcoming polls. We don’t really have a chief executive now, it seems, as our president is campaigning all day instead of running the country,” Crisostomo noted.