Government officials (elected and appointed), also known as PUBLIC SERVANTS, should not be allowed to use public money to display their name or image in public places in furtherance of their careers.
We are dedicated to the public shaming of government officials to eradicate the proliferation of these shameless trapos who’ve displayed their names or images using the taxpayers’ money. We condemn their (mal)practice, and hope that this movement will eventually lead to the stop of such ka-EPALan.
It’s time we the people reclaimed our cities back from the clutches of abusive public servants and traditional politicians.
WHAT EXACTLY IS EPAL?
Some of us have tried to define it, because while there are some very clear examples of “epal”, there are also some gray areas too. This is our attempt at defining it.
Definition: EPAL, adj:
Describing any public official who has his/her name/image on any public signage, public space, and/or public property, especially if it was paid for with public money; or one who has signage claiming credit for a particular project or program that was paid for by taxpayers; or anything that relates to such behavior. However, it is acceptable, though still highly discouraged, for the public servant responsible for the project or program to indicate (in lettering that is modest and much smaller that the announced project or program) his/her name and contact information for accountability purposes; provided that such name shall not be permanently printed, attached, engraved, or embossed on said project/program. But in no case shall the public servant’s image, likeness, caricature or picture be tolerated.
Epal activities include pre-campaigning. Pre-campaiging is when a reasonable and prudent person may construe or perceive an advertisement (print, radio, television, internet), public service announcement, sign, giveaway, promotional material or other marketing or public relations device as enticing the casual observer to consider the person appearing in such, for an elective position, or where the secondary purpose of the appearance is to promote an upcoming candidacy for political office. If such a person does in fact file a certificate of candidacy within reasonable time of the perceived pre-campaigning activity, then said candidate will be considered as having engaged in pre-campaigning.
Mula Sa Pilipinas 