In a bid to finally put an end to political families reigning in government, senators on Tuesday, August 19 called for a clearer definition of what constitutes political dynasty.

Senate Deputy Minority Leader Senator Risa Hontiveros said it is imperative to craft a clear definition of political dynasty and set its prohibition and limitation on family members running for public office.

Hontiveros pointed this out as she conducted a public hearing on the three different bills pending in the Senate that seek to define and prohibit political dynasties. Senators Panfilo “Ping” Lacson, Robinhood Padilla and Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan each filed separate versions of the bill.

Hontiveros, vice chairman of the Senate Committee on Electoral Reforms and People;s Participation, noted that it has been 30 years since the 1987 Constitution was ratified and where it is clearly stated that the government shall “prohibit political dynasties as may be defined by law.

Yet studies show, particularly by the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ), 113 out of 149 cities in the country is controlled by political dynasties.

“Some say that political dynasty is okay, as long as their service is good. The question is, is this true? …While we can’t agree on having one Anti-Political Dynasty Law, only a few families hold a sway in our country),” Hontiveros said during the hearing on the various bills calling for the prohibition of political dynasties that are pending in the Senate.

According to Hontiveros, it is crucial for Congress to make a clear definition of what political dynasty is.

“We must fulfill the Constitution’s mandate and now define and set the terms on what legally constitutes a political dynasty,” Hontiveros said.

Hontiveros said it is impossible to ban political dynasties when there is no law with a clear definition of political dynasty.

“What is the definition of political dynasty that is prohibited? Does the limitation on family members running for office extend to national positions, or are they only prohibited from running in the same city or province? Does the dynasty ban include barangay positions? Are party lists also included in the ban?” Hontiveros pointed out.

“The sooner we answer all these difficult questions about the Anti-Political Dynasty Law, the sooner we can end the concentration of public power among the few and the powerful,” she added.

Hontiveros also expressed belief that the number of failed flood control projects is also a result of corruption by political dynasties that exploit them.

“We saw that all their (15) flood projects happened to be in areas with fat dynasties, not just thin dynasties, but fat dynasties,” she said.

Sen. Erwin Tulfo said he also recognizes the importance of defining the conditions that constitute a political dynasty and setting a clear set of guidelines that will benefit the Filipinos and the country.

According to Tulfo, at the heart of the problem is a “constitutional gap” and agreed that Congress failed to define what political dynasty is.

“At the heart of the problem, however, lies a constitutional gap. The provision itself is not self-executing. This means the prohibition is clear, but the mandate is incomplete because Congress has yet to define, thru law, what exactly constitutes a political dynasty,” Tulfo said.

“What does political dynasty really mean? How do we define and implement this in a way that will benefit our country?” Tulfo said.

Admitting that he, too, comes from a family of emerging politicians, Tulfo said the issue about political dynasties should not be “about attacking families but also about strengthening the institutions and giving every Filipino a fair chance of leadership.”

According to Tulfo, the following questions should be answered:

1.        Up to what degree of consanguinity or affinity should be considered a dynasty?

2.        Does it cover only elective posts or should it include appointive positions?

3.        Should the law apply only to simultaneous holding of power or also to succession?

4.        Should lawmakers draw distinctions between the national and local levels?

Tulfo said he is ready to listen to the positions of various agencies and remain open to all sides.

“Our people deserve a political system that is open, competitive, and truly representative of the nation,” Tulfo said.