TWO MONTHS AFTER the Department of Interior and Local Government issued a warning against local officials with a penchant for self-promotion, Laguna Governor Sol Aragones may have thought that the pronouncement was just for a show.
This comes as netizens took turns lambasting what looks more like an “epal” move embarking on a massive welcome tarpaulin with no less than the image of the provincial governor as the main attraction. The welcome greeting banner is located at the southbound San Pedro exit of the South Luzon Expressway.
Likewise gaining traction on social media are photos of lamp posts with her name on it.
ANTI-EPAL MEMO
On February 2 this year, Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla issued an “Anti-Epal Policy,” directing all local government units to immediately remove names, images, and likenesses of public officials from all government-funded projects and properties.
The initiative targets personal promotion on public-funded projects and encourages public reporting of violations.
Remulla warned local officials against self-promotion in government-owned infrastructures, projects, programs, activities.
The memo covers elected and appointed officials in provincial, city, municipal, and barangay levels, as well as officials and employees of DILG-attached agencies, including the Philippine National Police, National Youth Commission, Philippine Commission on Women, and the National Police Commission.
EPAL POLITICIAN
A photo posted by the Daily Tribune on April 6 sparked online talk that the tarpaulin was a textbook example of an “epal” politician.
“Welcome to Brgy. San Antonio, City of San Pedro, Province of Laguna,” the tarpaulin reads. On its left is the former congresswoman and now governor, Aragones’ face; on the right is Barangay Captain Jun S. Ynion.
Beside it is another tarpaulin, half the size of the first, with the words “Welcome to the City of San Pedro,” and below it are two different city logos.
Funny enough, what netizens pointed out as most helpful was the small “Sogo 1 kilometer away” sign nailed to a post.
PRIVATELY FUNDED
The anti-epal policy stems from the DILG Memorandum Circular 006 (series of 2026) which states that no public official’s name, photo, logo, initials, color motif, slogan, or any identifying symbol should appear on project signages, markers, tarpaulins, and similar materials funded by public money.
That is why, in a quick response, Ynion posted on Facebook:
“Hindi po ito sakop ng ‘Epal Policy’ dahil pribadong kumpanya ang may-ari ng lupang tinitirikan ng billboard. Private funds din ang ginamit pambayad sa tarpaulin, at ang makikita sa likod nito ay mga construction activity lamang.”
Ynion is a prominent businessman and politician in the city and a close ally of Aragones. In 2016, he ran for mayor but lost. He also owns the land where the tarpaulin stands and much of the surrounding property.
In a separate post, he added: “Karapatan naming ipagmalaki ang lider na tunay na nagtatrabaho. Kung maglagay man ako ng tarpaulin sa sarili naming lupa, anong krimen doon?”
SOCIETAL DEFINITION
However, while sounding technically correct and outside the bounds of the anti-epal policy, it is not far from the societal definition of the word.
“Epal,” in casual street use, refers to someone who butts in or makes themselves noticeable in an unnecessary, self-promoting way.
A simple welcome banner helps motorists know where they are. Putting faces on it might suggest a different purpose.
Even if privately funded, it reports no accomplishment and contains no other useful information. The only deduction an observer can make is increased visibility and popularity at a very strategic, high-traffic intersection.
Aragones, a former journalist for ABS-CBN, understands the value of publicity better than most politicians.
SOL EVERYWHERE
That tarpaulin is not the only reason Aragones has been branded “epal.”
After losing the 2022 gubernatorial elections to then-incumbent Governor Ramil Hernandez, Aragones wasted no time preparing for the next race.
From then until the elections, the word “Sol” seemed to rain over Laguna, starting with her founded group “Akay Ni Sol” in December 2022, which became a national party by 2024 and later a party-list for the 2025 elections, but failed to secure a seat.
From tarpaulins to T-shirts to bags, caps, wheelchairs, 3-in-1 coffee, dishwashing liquid, glutathione soap, cologne, lotions, and even feminine wash, “Sol” was everywhere.
A report by Rappler noted: “After her failed gubernatorial bid in 2022, Aragones founded her own party, maintained high visibility in Laguna, and when the time came to run again, focused on a straightforward, health-centered campaign.”
HEALTHCARE PROMISES
Proving her campaign effective, Aragones won on the strength of her publicity efforts and healthcare promises, hitting where it hurt: Hernandez had failed to establish a tertiary hospital in the province despite three consecutive terms.
Though 2nd District Representative Ruth Hernandez, wife of Ramil Hernandez, successfully passed a measure establishing a regional hospital, the groundbreaking took place under his leadership.
VERY FIRST ORDER
That is why, for her very first order as governor, Aragones launched a “Bawal ang Mataray sa mga Ospital ng Laguna” policy, plastering tarpaulins of the new policy on public hospitals with her picture on them.
Responding to criticism, she said: “Minsan, may mga kailangan kang ilagay na elemento para maging strong ‘yung advocacy at message mo.”
She also proposed renaming the previous administration’s “Iskolar ng Laguna” to “Iskolar ni Sol,” which serves over 18,000 students.
In a viral video last year, Aragones was criticized for allegedly being offended when scholars did not clap as she arrived. In the video, she was heard saying: “Napansin ko lang pagpasok ko parang natulala ang marami. Ang iba ayaw tumayo, ang iba ayaw pumalakpak, ang iba tila nag-iisip, totoo ba ito?”
She later shared that many had advised her to stop the scholarships from the previous administration, but she believed it was wrong to politicize the students’ dreams.
EVERY CHANCE?
More recently, during the Anilag Festival celebration, a beauty pageant contestant was asked what some found to be an inappropriate and political question during the Q&A portion.
The contestant picked from a bowl: “Ano ang nakikita mo sa Laguna matapos ang isang termino ni Gobernadora Sol Aragones?”
Some saw this as an involuntary endorsement of the governor by an event run under her administration, prompting netizens to say that even pageants were not spared.
Exploring possible reasons behind this behavior, political analyst Antonio Contreras commented that Aragones may still be affected by her 2022 loss to Hernandez.
“He lives rent free in her soul. It looks like she is still nursing her loss to him in 2022.”
GUBERNATORIAL RACE
In 2022, Hernandez won by a margin of more than 200,000 votes. Fortunately for Aragones, he was then on his third and final term and barred from re-election.
Ramil’s wife, Ruth, while popular in her district, did not carry the same province-wide recognition.
In 2025, Aragones won with 635,000 votes against Ruth’s 547,000.
Some speculated that then-Vice Governor Karen Agapay, Hernandez’s running mate in his last three elections, split the vote. Combined, Ruth and Agapay’s votes could have reached 662,000.
However, Ramil Hernandez can run again in 2028 for a potential rematch with re-electionist Aragones. It remains uncertain whether his brand of “Serbisyong Tama”—which cemented his mark on the province—has been eclipsed by the “GOByernong may SOLusyon.”