In Parañaque, campaign posters get second life as bags

Drew Uy hopes for a future when aspiring leaders no longer need to resort to traditional — and literally messy — methods of political campaigning

MANILA, Philippines – Campaign seasons may run short, but tarpaulins last forever.

These political posters are typically made of plastic materials that can take anywhere from 20 to 500 years to decompose, according to the United Nations. The EcoWaste Coalition also notes that plastic tarpaulins may contain toxic additives like cadmium that are detrimental to human health.

Concerned about their long-term impact on the environment, 36-year-old Drew Uy was initially hesitant to use tarpaulins and flyers in his mayoral bid in Parañaque City. But as an ordinary Parañaqueño running against prominent figures with more resources, social media promotions could only go so far.

With enough encouragement from his volunteers, Uy, eventually agreed to use traditional posters and handouts for his campaign — but not without ensuring they wouldn’t go to waste, literally and figuratively, after the elections.

“Even before [the] campaign, you think about the next steps,” he told Rappler. “So, tarps, okay, fine, but we have to make sure we get to process this thing.”

During the 45-day campaign period for local officials, Uy and his volunteers walked and commuted around Parañaque City to distribute flyers made from recycled paper, which dissolves easily when wet.

Residents who supported his cause printed tarpaulins and displayed them across the city. Uy had planned on collecting the posters and sending them to upcycling facilities after the campaign season, but shortly after the elections, a local artist volunteered to give his campaign materials a second life.

23-year-old Enzo Abalayan, a Parañaque-based multimedia artist, offered to turn the campaign materials into tote bags. He had been following Uy’s efforts since his first mayoral bid in 2022 and wanted to show his support in his own way.

“What captured my heart was that he had a platform for artists. Not that many politicians have that,” Abalayan told Rappler. “Since I was a kid, art talaga (really) is what my life is dedicated to. So, just seeing someone that’s running in Parañaque, [where] there’s not that many opportunities for artists, it’s like, okay, so there is a chance for artists.”

Uy may not have won the mayoral seat in Parañaque City — a position long held by the Olivarez family — but he still secured 63,556 votes. He placed second in the local race, ahead of key local figures such as Barangay Captain Jun Zaide and Aileen Claire Olivarez, the wife of incumbent Mayor Eric Olivarez.

From tarps to totes

Abalayan, who has been into upcycling since 2023, approached Uy after the mayoral candidate mentioned in a post-election Facebook Live that he wanted to see his tarpaulins turned into tote bags.

“I’m glad that I got to go into the upcycling world and see that there’s actually a lot of people that go into the practice of upcycling and trying to save the environment,” Abalayan said. “I feel hopeful.”

After Uy showed him ideas for the eco-bag, Abalayan searched the internet for possible patterns he could follow. He ended up creating a recycled tote that resembles a “tsuno bag,” a traditional Japanese cloth bag with a distinctive triangular shape.

As of Wednesday, May 28, the artist had received around 30 posters. Two tarpaulins, each measuring two feet by three feet, are sewn together to make one tote.

Abalayan will also upcycle the smaller tarpaulins he had received, along with the leftover scraps from making the tote bags. He plans to turn them into smaller bags and wallets.

One doesn’t need to be a great artist to start upcycling. For Abalayan, the most important thing is to just show up.

“If you think you’re gonna be messy, just start. Just start for the sake of starting, no matter how messy or clean you think you are. You never know where it will get you,” he said.

The upcycled items will be sold for P269 to P369. Abalayan will donate a portion of the proceeds to Uy’s post-election initiatives.

Beyond elections

Uy and Abalayan hope for a future where aspiring leaders no longer need to resort to traditional — and literally messy — methods of political campaigning.

According to the Commission on Elections (Comelec), at least 64.5 metric tons of campaign waste
— which include toxic materials — have been collected in Metro Manila alone after the 2025 elections.

At present, the Philippines has no laws specifically regulating election-related waste, although candidates who ran during the 2025 elections were “encouraged” by the Comelec to use recyclable and environment-friendly materials during their campaigns. 

“Maybe it’s about time people start rethinking the traditional way of politics because it’s just a waste. You will see the same faces [in landfills] 20, 30, 100 years from now,” Uy said. “It’s just an eyesore.”

Do you or your community have efforts to recycle or upcycle campaign materials? Share your photos and stories in the environment-and-science chat room of the Rappler Communities app. – Rappler.com