Members of the House Minority Bloc can't help but voice out their reservations Thursday, Dec. 11 about the anti-political dynasty bill filed by the House leadership.

Mamamayang Liberal (ML) Party-list Rep. Leila de Lima, Akbayan Party-list Rep. Perci Cendaña, and Makabayan bloc lawmakers all have concerns regarding House Bill (HB) No.6771 filed by House Speaker Faustino "Bojie" Dy III and Majority Leader Sandro Marcos.

"Sa unang tingin, the proposed bill seems reasonable since ang ideya ay isa-isa lang ang pwedeng umupo per elective position or position level outlined in the bill. (At first glance, the proposed bill seems reasonable since the idea is that only one person can sit per elective position or position level outlined in the bill). But not really,” De Lima said.

"Dahil nililimitahan lang nito at hindi naman talaga pinipigilan ang pag-iral o pamamayagpag ng political dynasty (Because it only limits, but does not truly prevent, the existence or dominance of political dynasties)," she noted.

De Lima, a deputy minority leader, brought up a scenario that was allowed by HB No.6771 but otherwise still reeked of a political dynasty.

"Paano kung sa lahat o majority sa anim na elective positions from the national to the Barangay level, may galing sa iisang pamilya na sabay-sabay tumakbo at nanalo? Malinaw na political dynasty pa rin yun, a fat political dynasty!"

(What if in all, or in the majority of the six elective positions from the national down to the Barangay level, members of the same family run simultaneously and win? That is clearly still a political dynasty—a fat political dynasty!)

Cendaña agreed with De Lima, as he underscored the clamor for a true-blue measure that would totally outlaw political dynasties in the Philippines.

"Ang kailangan ng Pilipinas ay isang (What the Philippines needs is an) anti-political dynasty law that truly democratizes power and breaks the hold of powerful clans. Ayaw natin ng thin & fat dynasty. Ayaw din natin ng diet dynasty (We don't want a thin and fat dynasty. We also do not want a diet dynasty)," said the assistant minority leader.

Meanwhile, the Makabayan composed of ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio, Gabriela Party-list Rep. Sarah Elago, and Kabataan Party-list Rep. Renee Co went as far as to call the new measure "deceptive".

"Lubhang kapos at mapanlinlang ang bagong panukalang batas kaugnay ng mga political dynasties dahil nililimithan lang nito ang pagsasabay ng mga magkakamag-anak sa parehong national at local positions pero maaaring magkaroon pa rin ng mga magkakamag-anak basta iba-iba ang pusisyong tatakbuhan nila (national, congressman, provincial, local at barangay)," they said in a joint statement.

(The new proposed law on political dynasties is gravely inadequate and misleading because it only limits relatives from simultaneously holding the same national or local positions, but it still allows relatives to run for different positions [national, congressman, provincial, local, and barangay]).

"Halimbawa, maaaring sabay uupo ang mga magkakamag-anak na senador, congressman, gobernador, at mayor, o kaya ay presidente, congressman, gobernador at mayor. Ang maipagbabawal lang ay magkakamag-anak na sabay uupo bilang senador o magkakamag-anak na sabay uupo bilang local official," explained the militant solons.

(For example, relatives could simultaneously sit as senator, congressman, governor, and mayor, or even as president, congressman, governor, and mayor. The only prohibition is relatives simultaneously sitting as senators, or relatives simultaneously sitting as local officials.)

Makabayan noted that in the House of Representatives, relatives can all sit as congressmen at the same time for as long as they've won in different districts.

"Malabnaw na nga, inaasahan pang lalabnaw pa ito kapag sinalang na sa deliberasyon. Hindi tayo dapat makuntento sa ganitong panukala (It is already weak, and it is expected to become even weaker once it goes through deliberations. We should not be content with such a proposal)," they said.

HB No.6771 is expected to be used as the template for the anti-poltical dynasty measure once the Committee on Suffrage and Electoral Reforms begins discussions on various bills filed on the subject next month.