ILOILO — The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) has warned local officials in Western Visayas to immediately remove their names, photos, and other identifying marks from government-funded projects or face administrative and criminal sanctions.
DILG Region 6 director Juan Jovian Ingeniero said a regional memorandum reiterating the directive of DILG secretary Jonvic Remulla will be issued to all provincial and city directors, governors, mayors, and barangay officials, following confirmation that the central office memorandum was signed Friday last week, January 30.
The order enforces the strict nationwide implementation of the Anti-Epal Policy, which bars public officials from branding government projects, programs, activities, and properties with their names, images, slogans, initials, logos, or color motifs.
DILG-Iloilo provincial director Engr. Carmelo Orbista said that even without yet receiving a copy of the regional memorandum, compliance is already mandatory under the directive from the DILG Central Office.
“Kinhanglan mag-observe gid ang aton nga local officials sa sini nga mandu sang aton DILG,” Orbista told Panay News.
“Epal” is a Filipino slang term for someone who is a “scene stealer”, “attention-grabber”, or “credit-grabber”. Derived from the word “mapapel” (someone who wants a role) or “kapal” (thick-skinned), it commonly refers to politicians who undeservedly take credit for government projects to gain publicity.
Orbista stressed that any individual may file a complaint against officials who violate the policy, warning that such acts may carry both administrative and criminal liability.
“Puede sia magiging basis sang let say administrative case and any individual can file a case against then. Ara sa Local Government Code nga kon barangay officials didto sa Sangguniang Bayan, kon municipal sa Sangguniang Panlalawigan, kon provincial level ara sa Malacañang puede ma-file for administrative complaints,” he explained.
He said complainants only need to photograph government projects displaying names or images of officials to serve as evidence.
When asked if there are politicians in Iloilo violating the policy, Orbista said the reiteration from the DILG Central Office suggests that violations have been observed.
“May ara siguro, otherwise wala ining reiteration kung wala sang may na-observe sini, indi lang man diri sa Iloilo province siguro kundi sa other provinces,” he said.
Orbista noted that the Anti-Epal Policy has long been in place, having been introduced during the tenure of the late former DILG secretary Jesse Robredo during the administration of the late President Benigno Simeon Aquino III.
He added that all projects funded by the DILG-Iloilo Provincial Office strictly follow Commission on Audit (COA) templates that prohibit the inclusion of officials’ names.
“Wala namon gina-allow kay may template na iya sang COA prescribed,” Orbista said.
Under DILG Memorandum Circular No. 2026-006, all local government units, DILG offices, and attached agencies — including the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP), Philippine National Police (PNP), National Police Commission (NAPOLCOM), and National Youth Commission — are directed to ensure full compliance.
Secretary Remulla underscored that government projects must never be used for personal promotion.
“Government programs are not personal billboards. These are funded by taxpayers and must reflect public service, not political credit grabbing,” he said in a DILG press release.
The circular cites the 1987 Constitution’s principle that public office is a public trust, the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees, COA rules classifying personalized displays as unnecessary expenses, and the 2026 General Appropriations Act, which explicitly bans the attachment of officials’ names and images to government-funded projects.
“All concerned officials and employees are directed to cause the immediate removal and correction of non-compliant materials. Heads of offices are accountable for full and prompt compliance, as well as for cascading the directive to all units under their supervision,” the DILG said.
The agency also echoed President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s call to keep government projects free from political self-promotion and urged citizens to report violations.
Public funds, the DILG stressed, are for public service — not personal publicity./PN
