MANILA, Philippines — The DILG announced that all local government units (LGUs) and its attached agencies must strictly comply with Memorandum Circular No. 2026-006, which prohibits the display of public officials’ names, images, logos, initials, color motifs, slogans, or any identifying marks on project signages, markers, tarpaulins, and similar materials funded by public money. 

The order was released on January 29, 2026, and applies to provincial, city, municipal, and barangay officials, as well as DILG central, regional, and field offices.

The directive is part of the agency’s enforcement of the long-standing “Anti-Epal” policy, which aims to ensure that government projects remain politically neutral and free from any form of self-promotion. 

“Government projects, programs, activities, and properties are funded through public funds and are implemented in the interest of the general welfare. As such, these undertakings must remain politically neutral and free from any form of self-promotion by public officials,” the memorandum stated.

DILG officials emphasized that the move is intended to uphold transparency and accountability in public service. By removing names and images of politicians from infrastructure projects, the department seeks to prevent the misuse of government resources for political gain and to reinforce the principle that projects are funded by taxpayers, not individual officials.

The order comes amid growing public criticism of “epal” practices, where politicians brand government-funded projects with their names and faces to gain visibility ahead of elections. The DILG stressed that compliance will be monitored nationwide and violators may face administrative sanctions.

This policy is expected to reshape how local projects are presented to the public, ensuring that credit is given to institutions rather than individuals. It also aligns with broader efforts to strengthen good governance and discourage patronage politics in the Philippines.

Credit Belongs to the People

Ordering the removal of officials’ names and faces from government projects corrects an abuse Filipinos know too well. Public funds built those roads, classrooms, and health centers. Credit should follow taxpayers, not politicians hunting visibility. Stripping signage of personal branding restores a basic truth about public service.

But the harder question lingers. If this principle has long existed, why did it take another nationwide directive to enforce it? Why does restraint need a memo, and neutrality need policing?

Good governance should be instinct, not instruction. When officials repeatedly claim ownership of public work, enforcement becomes necessary. If credit truly belongs to the people, why must the state keep reminding leaders of something so fundamental?