DON’T expect posters, flyers, and other traditional materials from former House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano as he launches an “eco-friendly, lead-by-example” campaign in his comeback trail to the Senate in the May 2022 elections.

“Ano ang pumapasok sa isip natin ‘pag sinabing ‘halalan sa Pilipinas’? Nandyan ang maaksayang paggamit ng papel, tinta, at iba pang printing materials. Ilang puno ang nasasakripisyo natin sa iilang buwan lamang na kampanya?” Cayetano said on Monday, one day before the start of the campaign period for national positions.

“Hindi lamang ito maaksaya, nakakadagdag pa ito sa napakalaking problema natin sa basura,” he added.

Cayetano instead asked the public to show their support by planting trees and mangroves and, for those in the cities, doing urban farming like making backyard gardens or even green walls.

He also encouraged supporters to grow flowering plants and engage in other sustainable practices, saying the future generations are depending on us to leave a better world for them.

Cayetano said one of the unexpected results of the pandemic was it brought families closer together and made the environment cleaner as people stayed home.

“This campaign season should not be a reason for candidates to spoil this unforeseen benefit,” he said.

Leading by example in doing away with printed campaign materials, Cayetano said his campaign will instead focus on digital platforms since according to a Pulse Asia survey, 63% of Filipinos have access to the internet as of 2021.

“Malawak na rin ang naabot ng internet sa Pilipinas at posible na ngayong magpatakbo ng isang eco-friendly campaign,” he said.

Cayetano, who has topped two national surveys in recent months, urged his supporters to join the movement and not produce campaign materials other than digital ones.

“Samahan ninyo ako sa ating bagong style ng pangangampanya. Huwag na po tayong mag-print ng mga poster dahil nakasisira ito sa kapaligiran natin. Tumutok na lang tayo sa Facebook at iba pang platform para hikayatin ang mga Pilipinong ibalik tayo sa Senado,” he said.

He also said he would not mount motorcades in keeping with his push for a more environment-friendly approach to his campaign.

“Mas mahalagang gumawa tayo ng hakbang para mapangalagaan ang ating environment sa panahon na ito. Protecting the environment means protecting ourselves. Huwag nating hintaying may delubyo na namang dumating bago tayo umaksyon,” he said.