EDITORIAL - Credit where it is due

If government officials in this country have delicadeza, legislation would not be needed for this. But because public officials have long blurred the line between private and state property, a law has to be passed to ban government officials once and for all from taking personal credit for projects and programs undertaken using taxpayers’ money.

Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago is seeing strong public support for her Senate Bill 1967, formally titled “An Act Prohibiting Public Officers from Claiming Credit through Signage Announcing a Public Works Project.” Filipinos refer to the measure as the “epal bill” – street slang for scene-stealers and other people who are “ma-papel” or like grabbing attention that they do not deserve. Others refer to the measure as the “anti-kapal” bill – kapal referring to shamelessness that is a hallmark of many public officials. In other countries, billboards to mark government projects proclaim only that “this is where your taxes go” – giving proper credit to taxpayers.

President Aquino had in fact ordered such a ban at the start of his term, together with his ban on the use of sirens or wang-wang except on duly marked police cars, ambulances and fire trucks. But several politicians, including local government executives and lawmakers, could not be shamed into ending what they have long considered as their entitlement.

Even in Metro Manila, names and faces of politicians continue to adorn billboards and streamers, claiming credit for public works projects. Others, in an attempt to go around the ban, plaster their faces and names on signs ostensibly congratulating their constituents on various holidays and even school graduations, or announcing free weddings or the construction of gymnasiums.

If passed, the epal law will penalize such shameless politicians with fines and imprisonment of up to a year. The status quo allows lawmakers to claim credit for projects they have earmarked and undertaken through the pork barrel system. The brazen credit grabbing is most handy as elections approach, with politicians using public funds for personal aggrandizement. Passing the epal measure will be a test of the 15th Congress’ resolve to implement reforms.