The Tamesis
January 14, 2026
Manila – Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla on Tuesday called on Filipinos to name and shame social media politicians who violate the “anti-epal (credit predators)” provisions of the 2026 P6.793 trillion national budget.
The General Appropriations Act of 2026 (GAA) specifically prohibits public officials, candidates, politicians, political parties or their representatives from participating in or influencing the distribution of cash assistance, which the bill says is the responsibility of government officials and personnel.
“The success of the anti-EPAL campaign will depend on public support. They just need to post these contents and we will take action,” Remulla said during a Malacañang briefing, vowing to investigate any social media posts regarding violations of GAA terms.
READ: Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) warns ‘epal’ politicians: Aid reaches people even without you
“It’s prohibited from displaying their names as they fund or initiate the project. It’s prohibited from displaying their logo, it’s prohibited from displaying their photos in projects funded by taxpayer funds,” he added.
possible penalties
The head of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) said officials or politicians found to have violated the ban could face administrative proceedings, leading to their suspension.
“But if a local CEO shows a recidivist attitude, we can refer him to the Ombudsman’s Office for administrative and criminal cases,” Remulla said.
He added that while removal from office was not yet an option, suspension was a serious punishment. He also expressed support for legislation to institutionalize “anti-EPAL” provisions by restricting politicians from using public funds for self-promotion.
“Currently, the anti-epal movement was born out of public frustration over the past 15 years. We still have no codified standards of conduct for the anti-epal movement. It would be a big help if national legislatures took steps to formally ban the practice,” Remulla said. /cb
