GENERAL SANTOS CITY (MindaNews / 4 November) – Across the Philippines, it has become a familiar sight: tarpaulins with smiling faces beside public infrastructure, relief packs bearing officials’ names, even certificates stamped with a politician’s image.

Despite years of criticism and calls to end the practice, many public officials continue to “brand” government programs with their identities – a phenomenon Filipinos have come to call “epal” politics.

The debate resurfaced recently after photos from the opening parade of Batang Pinoy 2025, a national sports competition for young Filipino athletes, circulated on social media.

Several delegation banners bore not only their team names but also a politician’s portrait, drawing criticism from residents who saw it as another instance of misplaced self-promotion.

The reactions quickly turned into a broader reflection on how deeply personal branding has seeped into governance – and why epal politics endures despite decades of public disapproval.

A culture of visibility

In an October 29 interview with MindaNews, Czar M. Bandiola II, faculty member of the Political Science Department of Mindanao State University–General Santos City (MSU-GenSan), said epal politics is not a new phenomenon.

“They mount big photos or use acronyms of their names as if they personally funded these. It’s a populist strategy to reinforce their image as visible and hardworking,” he said.

The practice, he explained, reflects the country’s “deeply entrenched personality-based political culture” where visibility often outweighs performance.

Many politicians, he noted, deliberately attach their names or images to public projects – even those funded by national agencies – as a strategy to reinforce their presence among voters. 

This visibility, he added, feeds into the culture of utang na loob (debt of gratitude).

“Because of these image-reinforcing strategies, voters think that ‘they are the ones responsible for this project’ or ‘it is during their leadership that this was made possible,’ when in truth these are funded by taxpayers’ money,” he added.

Familiarity wins votes

The persistence of epal practices, Bandiola said, lies in their effectiveness. Local politicians and their strategists “continue the practice because it helps secure political support, especially in their constituencies.”

Voters, he noted, often choose leaders they recognize – a pattern tied to the Philippines’ personality-driven political culture.

“Many people would really vote for political leaders who are visible and familiar to their eyes. This is difficult to change because the political behavior of Filipinos itself is tied to entertainment-based and popularity-based type of voting,” he pointed out.

This “entertainment-driven” behavior, he added, shapes even local politics.

Bandiola noted that the same appeal that catapulted actor Ramon ‘Bong’ Revilla Jr. to the Senate is mirrored by local politicians who would “do everything, place their names everywhere just to attain popular or celebrity status.”

Push for ‘No Epal’ governance

Efforts to curb “epal” politics date back two decades. Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago first filed the “Anti-Epal Bill” in 2004, refiling it several times until 2016. It never became law.

In its absence, national agencies stepped in. The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), through Memorandum Circular No. 2010-101, barred local officials from putting their names and photos on project billboards.

Similarly, the Commission on Audit (COA), through Circular No. 2013-004, warned that such acts could constitute “inappropriate use of public funds.”

Bandiola noted that curbing “epal” politics is not only about compliance but about restoring fairness and trust in public institutions. 

Faces that endure

Across Mindanao, several local governments have adopted their own “anti-epal” measures.

In Kidapawan City, Mayor Jose Paolo Evangelista issued Executive Order No. 5 in 2022, prohibiting local officials from displaying their names or photos on government-funded tarpaulins, billboards, and other materials.

In Davao City, Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte signed Executive Order No. 09, Series of 2025, directing the removal of all signages and billboards bearing the names or images of public officials.

Meanwhile, Basilan Governor Mujiv Hataman followed suit in 2025, issuing a province-wide order banning the use of his name and image on government-funded infrastructure.

While these initiatives signal progress toward more accountable governance, Bandiola said the challenge goes beyond removing faces from public projects. 

Such policies, he explained, “pave the way for good governance by reducing politicization in government projects,” noting that some programs “only cater to those who support them.”

Ultimately, he added, real reform requires shifting how leaders and citizens alike define public service. Until visibility stops being the currency of politics, the faces on billboards may continue to outshine the work itself.(Guia A. Rebollido / MindaNews)