With the start of the campaign season for national positions last month and the expected start of the campaign season for local positions this coming March 28, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) has continuously reminded candidates and supporters of the do’s and don’ts on conducting their campaigns.
Much, much has been said about the proliferation of campaign streamers, posters and tarpaulins before the official start of the campaign season.
This is one of the reasons why some local government units here in Laguna, under the supervision of Comelec, had conducted “Oplan Baklas” programs to remove unwanted and unauthorized campaign paraphernalia before the start of the campaign season, when, in theory, restrictions on campaign spending and posting should come into effect.
Yet while the Comelec and some LGUs have concentrated on campaign posters that were oversized or placed outside of common poster areas designated by the commission, there is still room for improvement on the conduct of campaigning.
For instance, the issue of the campaign jingles that we are now expected to hear ad nauseam from morning till night once campaign season starts.
Candidates and supporters should take their own initiatives not only to properly credit the artists they are using the music from, but to ensure that the noise generated by their roving campaign jingle players should not be a source of unbearable noise particularly along residential areas.
Or how about the conduct of campaign rallies, where the “hakot” system continues to proliferate as a way of boosting and boasting popular support?
While we cannot completely eradicate the “hakot” system, can candidates and their backers conduct them in a way that traffic and public transportation won’t be disrupted (we are talking about the sudden lack of public transport due to politicos hiring PUVs for their campaign rallies)?
Responsible public service should start with responsible campaigning. And through being responsible campaigners, candidates and their supporters ought to emphasize to the voters that the “change” they often cry for should start with themselves.
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