House's anti-dynasty bill entrenches political families, warns solon

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December 29, 2025 | 8:15am

MANILA, Philippines — A bill branded as an "anti-political dynasty" measure is now facing criticism for doing the opposite: entrenching dynasties by formally defining which family members are allowed to keep power, rather than dismantling the system altogether.

Rep. Percival Cendaña (Akbayan party-list) said the versions of the anti-political dynasty bill filed by House Speaker Faustino Dy III and Rep. Sandro Marcos (Ilocos Norte) do not curb political dynasties, but legitimize them at certain levels of government within defined limits.

This, he said, effectively "goes against the spirit of the Constitution" and public demand.

"In the case of the version now that's filed by the House leadership, parang hindi ito hinihingi ng taong bayan. Ang sabi ng taong bayan, ayaw namin ng dynasty," Cendaña said in a December 28 One News interview. (In the case of the version now that's filed by the House leadership, it seems this is not what the public is asking for. What the people are saying is that they do not want political dynasties.)

Cendaña said an anti-dynasty law should decisively restrict dynastic control of elected positions, not offer what he described as a "compromise" that preserves the same political arrangements under a legal framework.

"Dapat ang batas na lumabas is isang batas that will curb dynasties in our political system," he said. (The law that is passed should be one that will curb dynasties in our political system.)

'Compromised position'

On December 10, Dy and Marcos filed separate versions of the bill that would disqualify spouses, siblings, and relatives within the fourth civil degree of consanguinity or affinity from simultaneously holding elective public office.

However, the proposals do not prohibit family members from succeeding one another, running in different levels of government, or rotating positions across election cycles, which are long-standing strategies used by political dynasties to retain power.

Cendaña warned that half-measures would only reinforce patronage politics—one of the drivers of corruption in the country.

"It's a compromised situation for the Filipino people. We’re compromised because one of the reasons for our problem with corruption is patronage politics. We know the diagnosis of the problem," Cendaña said in mixed Filipino and English.

Calling for political will rather than accommodation, Cendaña said lawmakers—many of whom belong to political families—must act against their own interests for once.

"This is not a time for compromise. This is a time for actual political will coming from our leaders. Parang for once naman, tatlong dekada na silang bumoboto in favor of their family and personal interest," he added (This is not a time for compromise. This is a time for actual political will coming from our leaders. For once, they should act differently, as they have been voting in favor of their family and personal interests for three decades now.)

Why it matters

The 1987 Philippine Constitution, under Article II, Section 26, states that "the State shall guarantee equal access to opportunities for public service, and prohibit political dynasties as may be defined by law."

However, the provision is non-self-executing, meaning Congress must pass an enabling law for the ban to take effect. Nearly four decades later, no comprehensive anti-dynasty law has been enacted—largely because lawmakers themselves often belong to political families.

Advocacy groups and reform-oriented legislators have long argued that unchecked political dynasties weaken democratic competition, concentrate power, and perpetuate patronage politics at the local and national levels.