Malacañang said President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. ordered the removal of a tarpaulin bearing his image during a cash aid distribution for tricycle drivers in Quezon City, amid the government’s Anti-Epal policy.

Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro said the President himself called out the Department of Social Welfare and Development over the issue.

“Unang-una, sa ating mga kababayan, noong nakita po ni Pangulong Marcos Jr. iyong isang tarpaulin na mayroon siyang larawan, iyon po ay iniutos niyang tanggalin ang kaniyang larawan. Kaya wala na po kayo—binigyan niya po ito, he called out the DSWD,” Castro said in a media briefing in Malacañang Palace on Friday.

The tarpaulin, which carried the message “Serbisyo at Tulong mula kay Pangulong Bongbong Marcos,” drew criticism online, including from Bayan president Renato Reyes, who questioned whether the Chief Executive was exempt from the Anti-Epal policy.

The policy, under Department of the Interior and Local Government Memorandum Circular No. 2026-006, prohibits public officials from placing their names, faces, logos or initials on taxpayer-funded projects and materials to prevent self-promotion.

Castro maintained that the President does not engage in self-promotion, saying public criticism persists regardless of his visibility.

“Mayroon po kasing mga nangyayari, kapag po hindi nakikita ang Pangulo at karamihan ay, halimbawa ay nasa meeting lamang siya sa Malacañang, kapag hindi nakikita sa labas, ang sasabihin ng iba, nasaan ang Pangulo? Kapag naman nakikitang madalas, at nakikita na gumaganap sa kanyang mga programa, ang sasabihin ng iba namumulitika. At ngayon, maraming nagsasabi, walang ginagawa ang Pangulo, pero ngayon, ipinapaalam sa taumbayan kung ano ang proyekto ng Pangulo, at sasabihin naman nila, pa-epal. So, hindi natin alam ano ba ang nais ng mga taong ito. So, muli, ayaw ng Pangulo ng pa-epal,” she said.

Castro said DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian admitted fault, saying the agency initially thought the President was exempt from the policy.

“He told us, DSWD thought the President was exempted, but when our attention was called, we addressed it immediately. The President is not exempt. Pero tandan po natin na dapat din po malaman ng taumbayan bilang Presidente na ito ang kanyang proyekto para malaman ng taumbayan, assurance na ang Pangulo ay nandito para sa ating lahat,” Castro added.