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Neil Jayson Servallos - The Philippine Star
February 1, 2026 | 12:00am
Senator Ping Lacson addresses the Senate's ongoing flood control investigation and other matters concerning the upper chamber during the "Kapihan sa Senado" on January 14, 2026.
STAR / Ryan Baldemor
MANILA, Philippines — Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson on Saturday threw his full support behind the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG)’s crackdown on politicians plastering their names and faces on state-funded projects, describing the practice as a red flag for corruption.
Reacting to DILG Memorandum Circular 2026-006, Lacson said the ubiquity of epal materials – a colloquialism for credit-grabbing by public officials – often signals deeper irregularities in infrastructure spending.
“This one I like and support unequivocally. While surely, there are no ghost billboards, most likely the ‘epal’ billboards are as overpriced as the projects,” Lacson said in a post on X.
The DILG directive, issued on Jan. 29, explicitly prohibits the display of any public official’s “name, image and likeness” on government projects and signboards.
The ban is comprehensive, covering not just photos but also mottos, logos, color motifs and initials associated with specific politicians.
The circular effectively orders the immediate removal of existing tarpaulins and markers that violate the rule, asserting that “government programs are not personal billboards” but taxpayer-funded services.
Lacson, a longtime critic of pork barrel politics, connected the anti-epal drive to recent legislative efforts to insulate the national purse from political maneuvering.
He noted that the 2026 General Appropriations Act includes specific provisions designed to prevent public funds from being used for patronage.
“The national budget must not be a political tool or spoils for those in power. We deserve a budget that truly serves the people, free from political exploitation,” Lacson said.
However, the senator acknowledged that the fight against the politicization of public funds is far from over.
“While we have made headway, the path forward remains extensive,” he added.
