ILOILO City — Local officials of Iloilo city and province have thrown their support behind the Department of Interior and Local Government’s (DILG) renewed “anti-epal” drive, pledging immediate action to strip government-funded projects of their names, photos, and other identifying marks.
Under DILG Memorandum Circular No. 2026-006, all provincial, city, municipal, and barangay officials — including DILG central, regional, and field offices and attached agencies — are directed to ensure that no public official’s name, photo, logo, initials, color motif, slogan, and identifying symbols appear on project signages, markers, tarpaulins, and similar materials funded by public money.
Iloilo City’s Mayor Raisa Treñas, through her spokesperson Joy Fantilaga-Gorzal, said the city government has already moved to comply with the directive.
According to Gorzal, Treñas has ordered the immediate issuance of a memorandum to all offices implementing government-funded projects and programs to ensure uniform and strict compliance with the circular. The mayor also assured that all city officials will adhere to the directive.
For her part, Iloilo City Lone District’s Cong. Julienne Baronda said she has long supported the anti-epal policy, stressing that it strengthens transparency and good governance.
“Halin sang una, we support it. Maayo gid na para at least ang gobyerno yara ang transparency, practice naton ang good governance. I believe ang una nga memorandum circular sang DILG it was 2010 pa. May bag-o subong nga ginapagwa si Secretary Remulla and I really support it,” Baronda said.
Baronda said her visible personal branding has largely been removed from government projects and that she continues to check other facilities to ensure compliance.
“I already wrote a letter to DPWH (Department of Public Works and Highways) dated Monday nga kon may ara, kindly kakas. So far daw wala man ngalan nga ‘Gugma’ or itsura ko ang isa ka building. But all of the building nga iya ka gobyerno dapat people’s building or people’s multi- purpose para indi sia (associated) sa isa ka public servant or sa local nga mga politicians,” she added.
Baronda said she hopes the DILG will strictly enforce the circular nationwide to restore public trust in government.
Meanwhile, Iloilo vice governor Nathalie Ann Debuque also expressed full support for the anti-epal campaign, saying genuine public service needs no self-promotion.
“Definitely, full support gid kita sa ‘anti-epal’ campaign. Ako nagapati nga kun mayo ang imo panerbisyo, maayo ang imo panghimanwa, we will not advertise kay mabatyagan ina sang aton pamuluyo kag kasimanwa,” Debuque said.
Debuque said she will review existing policies of the 15th Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) to demonstrate support through concrete action and ensure compliance with DILG Memorandum Circular No. 2026-006.
She stressed that personal branding on public projects is not a practice of the Iloilo provincial government and said this standard should be replicated by other local government units.
“Kay ti that’s people’s money, people’s program, not by an individual. So full support kita na da,” Debuque said.
Debuque added she will further study the scope of the memorandum to ensure full compliance and said the SP may consider passing a resolution to institutionalize the policy at the provincial level./PN
