The long-standing practice of filling and plastering government-funded projects with the names and faces of public officials is now facing stricter enforcement under the Anti-Epal Policy, following the issuance of Memorandum Circular No. 2026-006 by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).
The policy prohibits the display of any identifying symbols of public officials, such as names, photographs, logos, initials, slogans, and even color motifs, on government-funded projects, programs, activities, and properties. It applies to all local government units nationwide, including provinces, cities, municipalities, and barangays.
Under the directive, personalized tarpaulins, billboards, project markers, and signages that promote individual officials rather than the institution are no longer allowed.
The DILG emphasized that government projects are funded by taxpayers and must remain politically neutral and free from personal branding.
While the circular mandates nationwide compliance, some local governments had already implemented similar policies years earlier. One major example is Pasig City, under Mayor Vico Sotto, where they have enforced its anti-epal ordinance since August 2022.
Meanwhile, Naga City followed suit in November 2025 under former vice president and now Mayor Leni Robredo.
Both cities impose penalties of up to P5,000 and imprisonment ranging from 30 days to six months for violations.
The Anti-Epal Policy is anchored in existing laws and audit rules, such as: 1) Article XI, Section 1 of the 1987 Constitution of the Philippines states that public office is a public trust, calling on officials to serve with integrity and lead modest lives, 2) Republic Act No. 6713, or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees, which prescribes a high standard of ethics in public service, and 3) Commission on Audit (COA) Circular No. 2013-004 classifies the display of officials’ identifying marks on government signboards as “unnecessary expenses.”
According to the DILG, the policy exists to ensure that public funds are used solely for public service and never for personal promotion. By removing personality-driven branding from government projects, the Anti-Epal Policy seeks to restore focus on institutions, accountability, and the people these projects are meant to serve.
