Tagkawayan enforces ‘anti-epal’ policy, orders removal of officials’ names from public projects

By Rowena T. Cruz Removal of political identifiers from public infrastructure begins in Tagkawayan as authorities enforce new rules on gover...

By Rowena T. Cruz

Removal of political identifiers from public infrastructure begins in Tagkawayan as authorities enforce new rules on government-funded projects. (Tagkawayan Teleradyo)

TAGKAWAYAN, Quezon - A directive aimed at curbing self-promotion is now reshaping how public projects appear across the municipality of Tagkawayan. Visual identifiers of officials are now being removed from infrastructure funded by taxpayers across the town.

This comes after Memorandum Circular No. 2026-006 was issued by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG). The circular sets the rule banning the display of officials’ names and images across all levels of government.



Under these guidelines, local offices must ensure that publicly funded projects remain free from personal identifiers of elected or appointed officials. They are also expected to coordinate with each other and remove materials that do not follow the policy over time.

The circular states that materials that do not follow the policy must be taken down within a reasonable period after the directive is issued. Keeping these materials in place may lead to review under existing government rules.

Across the town, implementation began under the supervision of Mayor Luis Oscar T. Eleazar. Teams went around barangays to remove signages, tarpaulins, and project markers from roads, facilities, and other government properties.

“Public projects must reflect the people who fund them, not the individuals who hold office, this policy ensures that government service remains focused on accountability and not personal recognition.” Eleazar said.

The effort shows the need for consistent enforcement across offices and project sites to ensure full compliance with the policy. It also underlines the importance of keeping government programs clearly identified as public service rather than as platforms for individual promotion.

“Removing these identifiers strengthens trust and reinforces that public service is a shared responsibility, not a platform for personal visibility, consistent enforcement across all levels will ensure that government programs remain centered on the needs of the community.” the mayor added.

The policy also directs local governments to standardize project labeling by limiting displayed information to official program details, funding sources, and implementing agencies. It also calls for internal monitoring to ensure the rules continue to be followed.