Sen. Santiago's 'Anti-Epal' Bill

[FreyaLuna]

Credit belongs to the taxpayers, so take those billboards with your big smiling face somewhere else.

This, in essence, is the message of Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago in Senate Bill No. 1967, her version of what the man in the street would call an “anti-epal” measure, as it is directed at politicians or bureaucrats who claim credit for projects built with public funds.

“Epal” is slang for “mapapel,” a Filipino term for attention grabbers, scene stealers, or people who crave a role (papel) in affairs that are not necessarily theirs to handle or decide.

The term originated from the streets to become a buzzword in political circles especially last year, when President Benigno Aquino III initiated a shame campaign against such annoying public officials.

Currently undergoing committee deliberations, Santiago’s “anti-epal” bill is formally titled “An Act Prohibiting Public Officers from Claiming Credit through Signage Announcing a Public Works Project.”

The senator maintained that public officials have no business claiming credit for projects funded by taxpayers’ money.

Prevalent practice

“It is a prevalent practice among public officers, whether elected or appointed, to append their names to public works projects which were either funded or facilitated through their office,” she said in the bill’s explanatory note.

“This is unnecessary and highly unethical” and “promotes a culture of political patronage and corruption,” said Santiago, who is also busy campaigning for a seat as judge in the International Criminal Court in The Hague.

The bill imposes a jail term of between six months and one year on a public official who would have his or her name or image printed on a “signage announcing a proposed or ongoing public works project.”

The prohibition also applies to existing government projects that are undergoing maintenance or rehabilitation.

Agency name, logo OK

The bill only allows signs that bear the name, image or logo of the local or national government agency handling the project.

Santiago said allowing incumbents or appointees to grab undue credit “diminishes the importance that the public needs to place on supporting government officials, not because of their popularity, but because of their essential role in policy determination, whether on the local or national level.”

“Secondly, it diminishes the concept of continuity in good governance in the mind of the public,” she said.

If the bill gets passed into law, the Department of Public Works and Highways, in coordination with the interior department and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, has three months from the day of the law’s effectivity to remove “all existing signages” that violate its provisions.

(Source: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/87821/s...%E2%80%99-bill)

[hellionist]

Oo nga naman. "A project by the taxpayers" dapat.

[RedStarRising]

e karamihan (kung hindi man LAHAT...) sa mga credit grabber na to sa mga projects e mismong mga kabaro nila sa legislative sector...mapa national or local...

"pangalan pa lang, binabayaran na..."

[voltaire]

[Rosewillow]

The bill imposes a jail term of between six months and one year on a public official who would have his or her name or image printed on a “signage announcing a proposed or ongoing public works project.”

It should be not less than one year or so. Medyo mababa kasi ang "penalty" sa tingin ko. Regardless, this bill makes sense.

[samuraiX]

I do hope that this bill will become into law but given the situation I doubt it will be passed since the one making the laws are also the ones who will be hit by this bill

[oversoul1404]

i'm curious how would the guilty politicians work around this law. wise monkeys.

[west]

ganyan sana. hindi yan gmga planking planking angry birds etc na mga bills

[suave]

At long last.........................

matagal kong inantay to............

sa wakas...............................

[KillaCrab]

rather than talking about this let us start an info campaign ...

[astroboy]

.


sana nga pumasa ito. madaming gumagawa nyan.
they claim na sila nagpagawa ng mga projects. sila
naman tlaga, PERO DAPAT LANG, TRABAHO KASI NILA
YUN!!! besides, hindi nila pera ginamit dun, for all i know
malaking parte ng budget napunta lang sa bulsa nila.



.

[ironman]

i'm curious how would the guilty politicians work around this law. wise monkeys.

"someone" who's a private person will make a tarpaulin/banner which read:

MARAMING SALAMAT PO KAY CONG. MANDO R. UGAS SA KANYANG PROYEKTONG "TAPAL BUTAS KALYE"
Maraming salamat po ulet mula sa pamilya ALI PORES

lusot na naman...

[oversoul1404]

^ you have read my mind. I was also thinking that their pseudo supporters shall create the tarps to show their 'gratitude' whatsoever. like during the elections, the cliche "paid for by friends and supporters of this a-hole"

some other glitches:
1. Use of typographies
2. Use of Symbols, like Ninoy's glasses, cory's ribbon, and gma's mole
3. Color combinations, like on atienza's floral costume

also, how about the buildings and other establishments already constructed? like in our province, we have the so-called "Mayor bla-blah Type Building", "Cong. Blah-blah covered basketball court"? dapat mapalitan din yung pangalan nun. otherwise, i'll really take the liberty of vandalizing my name on the establishment kasi kasama ako sa nagbayad dun.

[sweeT Tooth]

di ba ginawa na to dati before the elections?
tama dapat picture ko ang nakalagay dun

[samuraiX]

i think the DILG can just make a rules or something that will make this happened without making this into a law, ive heard other LGU are already doing this by removing their ugly mug and names from the projects, in my town ive seen this already, about 3 months ago, their names and faces taken down from the projects