Palace tells officials on billboard ban: Follow Noy's example

MANILA, Philippines - Malacañang has asked national and local officials to stop displaying their names and photographs in government-funded projects.

Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said the ban on the use of names and photographs of President Aquino, Public Works Secretary Rogelio Singson and other government officials and politicians would cover only projects of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

It would be up to Congress to prohibit the use of names and photographs of government officials and politicians in other projects and impose penalties on violators, he added.

Lacierda said billboards featuring Mr. Aquino, including those along EDSA, would have to be dismantled.

“The President is leading by example,” he said. 

“Like the wangwang (sirens), we would hope that this would also be another example where by the President’s own initiatives, other officials would follow suit. But do we compel them? No, we don’t.”

Lacierda said the DPWH released the order after the Cabinet action memorandum was issued by the Presidential Management Staff.

“In case there are problems, at least the public will also know who is at fault when the project is substandard,” he said.

“There is no name of anyone, not even Secretary Singson. At least this is for DPWH, this is only for DPWH, may I emphasize.

“As far as they are concerned, this is going to be the format of their billboards.”

Lacierda said Mr. Aquino wanted to highlight that government projects are funded by the people for the people.

“There is this big billboard at Shangri-La on EDSA, that’s a private enterprise,” he said.

“We would like to encourage or ask also the private sector to cooperate with us in the thrust of the President to refrain from using his image or his name.

“In fact, here in Malacañang, at the Komisyon ng Wikang Pilipino, the President also has a big poster and we will ask them to remove that.”

Billboard with GMA photo torn down

Workers have torn down a project billboard carrying the photograph of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in Quezon City on orders of Secretary Singson.

Edilberto Tayao, public works and highways National Capital Region engineer, said they have started removing project billboards bearing the names and photographs of politicians in Metro Manila.

“These project billboards were put up on our ongoing projects, which started during the time of former President Arroyo,” he said.

Tayao said his actions are based on Department Order 37 issued by Singson.

Field officials, district engineers and project management officers who fail to comply with the instruction face possible sanctions, he added.

Under Department Order No. 37, all regional offices, project management offices, and district engineering offices should place on project site billboards only the name of the project, location, name of contractor, date started, completion date, contract cost, name of construction consultant, implementing office of the DPWH, and source of funds. Billboards, which should measure four feet by eight feet, should be installed at the beginning and end of the project.

For road projects 10 kilometers or more in length, there should be a billboard for every five kilometers. - Aurea Calica, Evelyn Macairan