Manila: Senator Loren Legarda on Monday called for a law making permanent the Department of the Interior and Local Government's (DILG) crackdown on political branding on government-funded projects. Legarda welcomed the DILG directive ordering the removal of names, images, and likenesses of public officials from publicly funded billboards, markers, vehicles, and other properties. She said administrative rules alone are not enough to end the long-standing practice and that public office is a trust and not a platform for self-promotion. 'Public funds are for public service, not for personal publicity,' Legarda said.
According to Philippines News Agency, Legarda noted that while agencies have issued similar prohibitions over the years-including earlier DILG circulars, Commission on Audit rulings, and budget provisions-these safeguards remain vulnerable without a clear enabling statute. To address this gap, Legarda cited her filing of Senate Bill 1716, or the proposed Anti-Epal Act, which seeks to permanently prohibit officials from attaching personal identifiers to government programs and projects.
The measure also proposes the creation of Anti-Epal Desks to monitor compliance and receive complaints, a move Legarda said would empower citizens to report violations and demand accountability. 'We can only stop this practice if we put in place reporting mechanisms for the general public,' she said.
