January 14, 2026
MANILA – Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla on Tuesday called on Filipinos to name and shame on social media politicians who will be violating the “anti-epal (credit-grabbers)” provision in the P6.793-trillion national budget for 2026.
The 2026 General Appropriations Act (GAA) specifically prohibits public officials, candidates, politicians, political parties or their representatives from taking part or influencing the distribution of cash assistance, which it says is the function of government officers and personnel.
“The success of the anti-epal campaign will depend on the public’s support. They just need to post them and we will take action,” Remulla said in a Malacañang briefing, as he vowed to investigate any social media post about a violation of the GAA provision.
READ: DSWD warns ‘epal’ politicians: Aid to reach people even without you
“It is prohibited to display their name as the one who funded or initiated the project. It is prohibited to display their logo, and it is prohibited to display their photograph in projects funded by taxpayers’ money,” he added.
Possible penalties
Officials or politicians found flouting the prohibition may face administrative cases that can lead to their suspension, according to the chief of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).
“But if the local chief executive shows a recidivist attitude, we can refer this to the Office of the Ombudsman for the filing of administrative and criminal cases,” Remulla said.
Although removal from office is not yet an option, suspension is already a grave punishment, he added. He also expressed support for legislation that would institutionalize the “anti-epal” provision by curbing politicians’ self-promotion using public funds.
“At present, the anti-epal campaign was born out of public frustration over the past 15 years. We still do not have a codified standard of conduct for the anti-epal campaign. It would be a great help if the national legislature took steps to formally prohibit this practice,” Remulla said. /cb