President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr. on Sunday urged local government units (LGUs) to study digital payment systems to streamline the distribution of government assistance, while emphasizing that aid programs should not be used as platforms for political self-promotion.

In his latest vlog titled “Sagot sa Polisiya,” Marcos addressed public calls for faster and more convenient delivery of government aid, particularly for senior citizens and other beneficiaries.

“You know, as long as these are national government programs, speeches and other publicity before distribution, that’s not allowed,” Marcos said.

“Government services cannot be used for politicking or self-promotion,” he stressed.

The President noted that this prohibition is already outlined in a Department of the Interior and Local Government memorandum circular and in the General Appropriations Act, which governs the use of public funds. 

No epal moves

He added that politicians should refrain from using national government programs to seek attention, locally known as “epal,” a Filipino colloquial term for self-promoters.

Marcos also raised the possibility of digitizing the distribution process to make aid delivery faster and more efficient.

“As for distribution, there are discussions about digitizing the process. Maybe through digital payments like GCash,” he said, noting that some LGUs, such as Makati City, are already exploring such systems.

He encouraged local governments to study these models and implement them gradually. 

The President reiterated that aid programs funded by the national government should reach beneficiaries quickly, without unnecessary delays or political grandstanding.