THE Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has ordered the strict nationwide enforcement of the “Anti-Epal” policy, directing all local government units and DILG offices to immediately remove the names, images, and likenesses of public officials from all government-funded projects, programs, activities and properties.
In a memorandum, the DILG instructed all provincial, city, municipal, and village officials, including DILG central, regional, and field offices and attached agencies, to ensure that no public official’s name, photo, logo, initials, color motif, slogan, or any identifying symbol appears on project signs, markers, tarpaulins, or similar materials financed with public funds.
Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla said government projects should never be used for personal promotion, stressing that these are funded by taxpayers and must reflect public service rather than political credit.
“Government programs are not personal billboards. These are funded by taxpayers and must reflect public service, not political credit-grabbing,” Remulla said.
The memo anchors the directive on the 1987 Constitution’s principle that public office is a public trust, the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees, and Commission on Audit rules that classify personalized displays as unnecessary expenses.
It also cites the 2026 General Appropriations Act, which explicitly prohibits attaching officials’ names and images to government-funded projects.
All concerned officials and employees were ordered to immediately remove or correct non-compliant materials.
Heads of offices will be held accountable for full and prompt compliance and for ensuring that the directive is implemented across all units under their supervision.
The DILG also reiterated President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s call to keep government projects free from political self-promotion and personality branding, while encouraging the public to report violations of the Anti-Epal policy.
“Public funds are for public service, not for personal publicity,” the department said.
Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson expressed full support for the DILG directive banning the display of politicians’ names and images on government-funded projects, saying such practices undermine public service and may even signal irregularities.
“This one I like and support unequivocally,” Lacson said in a post on X. “While surely there are no ghost billboards, most likely the ‘epal’ billboards are as overpriced as the projects.”
