Anti-Epal Bill by Miriam Santiago

Anti-Epal Bill By Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago

Anti-Epal Bill Proposed By Miriam Santiago

Before we start this article, let us just remind everyone that this is no laughing matter. Anti-Epal Bill is a serious proposal intended to change the country's corrupt political image.

Anti-Epal Bill is a proposal by no other than Senator Miriam Santiago who targets politicians or any government officials who claim credits for projects funded Filipino taxes. Epal is a street word for "mapapel", a Filipino term for attention grabbers, scene stealers - mostly used for persons who take credits for something they didn't deserve.

The nature of the law started last year, when Philippine President Benigno PNoy Noynoy Aquino III fried abusive political personalities on his State of the Nation Address (SONA) through his Wang-Wang message.

Miriam Defensor - Santiago's Anti-Epal bill is formally titled “An Act Prohibiting Public Officers from Claiming Credit through Signage Announcing a Public Works Project”. Senate Bill No. 1967 is currently undergoing committee deliberation as of press time.

According to Senator Santiago who authored the proposed bill, the public officials have no rights to claim any credits from projects who was paid by tax payer's money.

“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,” - an extract from the bill's explanatory note.

According to the proposed law, violators will be facing six months to one year of jail term if proven guilty. Guilty means that any public official who puts his face or his plain name on any proposed or on-going government projects.

However, the Anti-Epal bill allows signs that bear the image, name or logo of any local or national government agency or office that is handling the project.

If the proposed bill passed into a full-pledge law, the Department of Public Works and Highways DPWH in coordination of interior department and Metropolitan Manila Development Authority MMDA will be given three months to remove all existing signages that violates the provision. Local government all over the country will also be required to follow the law as mandated.