Epal

It’s election time, and epalticians are multiplying by the minute. Don’t you just hate it? 

What exactly is Epal? According to Epal Watch: “Epal” is slang for “mapapel,” a Filipino term for attention grabbers or people who crave a role (papel) in affairs that are not necessarily theirs to handle or decide. The word "epal" became a buzzword when President Benigno Aquino III initiated a shame campaign against such annoying public officials. It is a common 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.

I have been contributing photos to Epal Watch for some time now. Its website has a gallery of mapapel politicians, and my photos were posted there. But here are some more pictures I have not submitted to them yet. I want to show them to you first.

Of all the politicians, I think Mayor Echiverri of Caloocan is the most epal. His name is painted in all streets, corners, walls, gates and everywhere in Caloocan.

My camera couldn't capture it all. Kung gaano kahaba ang pader, pinuno nya ng pangalan nya.

See what I mean? =)

Then there's the Padua father-daughter tandem of Pasay City. The father is currently a Councilor, while the daughter is "nais maglingkod sa inyo".

Self-advertising.

 Okay, proyektong pangkalusugan. Good job! Pero naman, mas malaki pa yung mukha nyo kesa sa schedule of services.

You have to be THISCLOSE to the tarpaulin to be able to read the schedule.

 And hija, it's too early for you to campaign. Obvious na obvious ka!

Even the tricycle, di pinalagpas. What type of project is this? Did he give out tricycles, or just beautify them? Making all the tricycles in Pasay shining, shimmering, splendid?

There are those who have noble intentions naman by giving out public information, like emergency numbers. But goodness, those numbers are so minute while their pictures and names are behemoth!

Just by looking at the picture, I can read the name of Moti Arceo, but I cannot read the emergency numbers. And what is the purpose of the lower poster?

What is the relevance of your photo with the emergency hotlines? Unless ikaw mismo ang sumasagot sa hotlines na yan, then FINE!

Mayor Calixto and Congresswoman Calixto of Pasay are notoriously everywhere, too. 

In fairness, may emphasis na galing sa buwis natin. But just the same, mapapel.

  

Painted on the gate of a certain public school. Mapapel talaga.

In Agoo, the face of its Municipal Mayor is plastered on the plate number of tricycles. No space is so small for the epal talaga.

Mayor Win Gatchalian of Valenzuela etched his name on the cemented sidewalk:

Without this project, baka puro putik yung sidewalk. Thank you, ha.

A Punong Barangay dirtied the lamp posts by unnecessarily painting them:

Wala na syang ibang maisip na project siguro.

These epalticians will never ran out of tricks. 

What will they think of next?!

  

Only in the Philippines, as they say.