Anti-political dynasty bill refiled, while Congress is still ruled by clans

MANILA, Philippines — After being shelved time and again, an anti-political dynasty bill has been reintroduced in the 20th Congress.

One of the first bills filed by the Makabayan bloc in the 20th Congress is House Bill 209, which aims to ban political dynasties.

Filed by Rep. Antonio Tinio (ACT Teachers Party-list) and Rep. Renee Co (Kabataan Party-list) on June 30, House Bill 209 seeks to define a dynasty as a family or clan that keeps political power in their hands by holding office either all at once or one after another.

Definition. It specifically describes a political dynasty as a “family or clan that concentrates, consolidates, perpetuates their political power by holding public office simultaneously or successively.”  

What constitutes a 'dynasty'? 

Proposed anti-political dynasty measures anchor themselves on the Constitution, which states under Section 26 that political dynasties should be prohibited as defined by law. 

In the 19th Congress, only two anti-dynasty bills were filed in each chamber, and both stalled at the committee level. These were:

• House Bill 389, filed by former Rep. Gabriel Bordado Jr. (Camarines Sur, 3rd District) in 2022
• House Bill 1157, filed by former Rep. Raoul Manuel (Kabataan) in 2022
• Senate Bill 548, filed by Sen. Grace Poe in 2022
• Senate Bill 2730, filed by Sen. Robin Padilla in 2024

Most of the bills proposed banning dynasties up to the second degree of kinship. Padilla’s version went further — up to the fourth degree — even though he's a close ally of the Dutertes, a family with at least six members currently in government.

Tinio and Co’s bill would similarly bar individuals from running for or holding public office at the same time as relatives up to the fourth degree of consanguinity or affinity, a larger scope than the ones previously filed by past lawmakers.

What is the fourth degree? This includes not just immediate family members like parents and children, but also first cousins, great aunts and uncles, grandnieces and nephews and even in-laws.

The measure also covers illegitimate and step-relatives, including step-siblings and stepparents.

Immediate succession banned. Beyond simultaneous occupation of public office, the bill also prohibits the immediate succession of a government post by a relative up to the fourth degree of consanguinity or affinity.

In other words, a mayor’s son can’t take over right after their parent steps down. Someone outside the family, who isn’t with the fourth degree, has to hold the post for one full term before they can run.

Under oath. The bill doesn’t stop at rules. It also requires local and national candidates to file a sworn statement with the Commission on Elections (Comelec) that they aren’t running alongside any relatives who are also eyeing or holding public office at the same time.

The proposed measure also empowers the poll body to conduct a motu proprio investigation, or act on a verified petition, regarding a candidate’s certificate of candidacy if it violates the anti-political dynasty provisions. Such a violation may be considered valid grounds for disqualification.

The extent of political dynasties

The Philippines, however, remains dominated by political dynasties — from barangays to national posts. According to the PCIJ, over 80% of the 254 district representatives in the 20th Congress belong to political families.

The Senate also isn’t that different, with four pairs of siblings sitting in the chamber: the Villars, Cayetanos, Estrada-Ejercitos, and Tulfos. That’s one-third of the entire body.

It’s a bit ironic, though, just how officials like Vice President Sara Duterte and Sen. Erwin Tulfo, who come from political families themselves, said they would support anti-dynasty bills. 

Before the anti-political dynasty bill becomes a law, it will have to go through lengthy proceedings from first to third reading in both the House and Senate, including a bicameral conference committee to reconcile differences in the measures, if any.