Negros Oriental Governor Manuel "Chaco" Sagarbarria was present at and publicly credited for a June 24 cash-aid distribution to 2,000 residents in Canlaon City under the national government's Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) program — an activity that elected officials are expressly prohibited from attending under the 2026 General Appropriations Act and two separate anti-epal directives issued this year by national agencies.
Governor Credited in City Government's Own Facebook Posts
In posts on its official Facebook page, the Canlaon City government said the AICS payout was held at the Panubigan and Binalbagan covered courts. The city government stated that the assistance came from national funds "coursed through the Office of Governor Manuel 'Chaco' Sagarbarria," supported by Mayor Jose Chubasco "Batchuk" Cardenas and the City Council.
A separate post said the governor "again attended to personally meet the beneficiaries and show his support." Photographs published by the city government showed him addressing the crowd and posing with recipients.
What the 2026 Budget Law Explicitly Prohibits
The activity runs counter to Section 19 of Republic Act No. 12314, the 2026 General Appropriations Act signed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in January. The provision states that cash assistance and other financial aid "shall be conducted exclusively by authorized government officers and personnel or accredited partners."
The law bars public officials holding elective positions, candidates, politicians, political parties, and their representatives — except officials with direct administrative and executive authority over the implementing agency — from influencing, being present in, participating in, or taking any part in the actual distribution. Under the statute, mere presence at a distribution event constitutes a breach; an official need not personally hand over cash.
The provision specifically covers the Protective Services for Individuals and Families in Difficult Circumstances — the program that funds AICS — along with TUPAD and the medical-assistance program MAIFIP. It also bars political signage, branding, or activity anywhere within the distribution area.
AICS is administered by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). A provincial governor does not hold direct administrative and executive authority over the DSWD and therefore does not fall under the law's narrow exception for agency officials. The practice of routing national aid "through the Office of the Governor" is the precise patronage dynamic the anti-epal provision was written to end.
Marcos, Gatchalian Cited Patronage When Law Was Signed
At the signing of RA 12314, President Marcos said politicians "shall be barred from the distribution of any financial aid" so that support reaches beneficiaries "without patronage."
DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian has said the agency would enforce the rule proactively, stating that paymasters and social workers would not proceed with a payout if politicians are present, and that distributions could be halted if political figures appear. The DSWD has been drafting omnibus AICS guidelines that adopt "no-epal" provisions from an earlier joint memorandum circular, which bars politicians from payout activities and prohibits the distribution of leaflets or campaign material at distribution sites.
DILG Circular Warns of Suspension, Ombudsman Referral
On the branding side, DILG Memorandum Circular No. 2026-006, issued January 29 by Secretary Jonvic Remulla, orders the removal of officials' names, images, and identifying symbols from government-funded undertakings. Remulla has warned that violators face administrative sanctions including suspension, with recidivist local chief executives referable to the Ombudsman for administrative and criminal cases.
Beneficiaries Include Typhoon Tino and Volcano Eruption Survivors
The Canlaon City government said beneficiaries at the June 24 payout included evacuees verified by the National Housing Authority, farmers registered under the Department of Agriculture's Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture (RSBSA), dialysis patients, and residents who lost motorcycles or vehicles to Typhoon Tino.
Typhoon Tino killed at least 16 people in Canlaon and placed the city under a state of calamity in November 2025, according to the city government. The city had earlier been affected by the 2024 eruption of Kanlaon Volcano, adding to the prolonged displacement of many of the payout's recipients.
Enforcement Gap Acknowledged by DILG Chief
The episode highlights the gap between the law on paper and its implementation on the ground. Remulla himself has acknowledged there is "no codified conduct yet" for the anti-epal campaign and has urged Congress to pass a law criminalizing the practice.
A bill that would institutionalize AICS — whose Senate version contains an explicit clause barring politicians from distributions — stalled in June after the House of Representatives balked at the provision. The measure was sent to a bicameral conference committee, with the outcome expected after the President's July State of the Nation Address.
As of publication, no statement had been issued by the Office of Governor Sagarbarria, the DSWD regional office, or the DILG in response to the June 24 event in Canlaon City.
Photo credit: Photo courtesy of Canlaon City Government/Facebook