The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Wednesday emphasized that established and accessible mechanisms are already in place for the public to report alleged “epal” practices, misuse of government programs, and other governance-related concerns involving local government units and DILG-attached agencies.

DILG Secretary Jonvic Remulla said the department’s approach is focused on ensuring that citizens have clear avenues to raise complaints and that these concerns are acted upon through existing systems.

“There are platforms in place where people can raise issues related to the use of government projects and public resources. What is important is that these concerns reach the proper offices and result in concrete action,” Remulla said.

Concerns involving integrity issues, abuse of authority, and violations related to government programs are handled through Bantay Korapsyon, the department’s anti-corruption initiative under its Legal Cluster. The program serves as a framework for identifying and addressing corruption-related concerns, strengthening accountability, and encouraging citizen and stakeholder participation in monitoring local governance.

Meanwhile, the Public Assistance and Complaints Center (PACC), under the Communications Cluster, serves as the department’s official frontline for receiving complaints, requests for assistance, and public inquiries. Through the PACC, concerns are formally recorded, reviewed, and referred to the appropriate offices for action to ensure proper tracking and response.

“These platforms are designed to make government more accessible to the people. They ensure that complaints are not ignored and that accountability mechanisms are activated,” Remulla added.

The DILG urged the public to use these existing channels and reaffirmed its commitment to transparency, accountability, and the responsible use of public funds across all local government units, in line with the directives of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to strengthen good governance and protect public trust.