Epal in the context of Philippine politics is a pejorative used for politicians who habitually associate their name and/or likeness in government-funded projects.
"Epal" is a Filipino-language colloquial term for "mapapel", for attention grabbers, scene stealers, or people who crave a role (papel) in affairs that are not necessarily theirs to handle or decide.
What constitute as an epal act could vary. This could include placing the likeness and/or names of politicians and their relatives in:
Politicians could also name projects after their initials or acronym of their names. (e.g. <u>G</u>inintuang <u>M</u>asagana <u>A</u>ni farming program of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo)
It can be used as a means for premature campaigning for upcoming elections. Critics argue that associating politician's names and likenesses to government projects is contrary to the idea that such projects are funded by the taxpaying public.
Quezon representative Danilo Suarez has defended the practice as necessary so that local politicians' constituents are informed that their officials are fulfilling their mandate. Education Secretary Armin Luistro in 2013 said he has no problem with politicians plastering their names and signages on public school projects since the same politicians would be held accountable to the Commission on Audit if their implementation were found to be substandard.
The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Commission on Audit has policies in place against placing names, initials, and images of government personalities on government projects, signage, and properties. The anti-epal policy is laid out in DILG Memorandum Circular No. 2010-101 issued during the tenure of Secretary Jesse Robredo.
There has been multiple attempts to pass a dedicated law against epal practices in the Philippine Congress. Defining what should constitute epal acts has been one of a challenge in passing an anti-epal legislation.
Senator Grace Poe was able to introduce General Provision No. 82, which has measures against epal, in the General Appropriations Act (GAA) of 2021. The provision prohibits any public official, whether elected or appointed to "affix, or cause to be affixed, their name, visage, appearance, logo, signature or other analogous image, on all programs, activities, projects (PAPs), or corresponding signage" of projects funded under the act.
After the Manila mayoral victory of Isko Moreno in 2019, he stated that any tarpaulins of politicians or banners, as well as some government buildings named after local politicians who were still alive are to be removed, as he stated that its just only an "eyesore". He stated words like "Don't Immortalize Yourself" on national television about the issue. In Pasig, after the election of the same year, newly elected Pasig Mayor Vico Sotto stated that the residents should not post any tarpaulin with politician's face, especially with his face. He also stated that not being an epal is a way of educating citizens that every government projects are funded by the citizen's taxes.
Various civic groups such as the Samahan ng mga Mamamayan Laban sa Trapo (SMLT), People's Support for Clean Elections, and Tama na Epal Movement has opposed epal practices and advocated for the passing of legislation related to this.
The Transparency and Accountability Network launched a campaign against epal in a lead up to the 2013 elections by setting up the "Anti-Epal" page in Facebook and encouraged users of the social platforms to share photos of instances of epal to encourage politicians to voluntarily cease from epal practices.