As the recent national survey made by Pulse Asia shows, prohibiting political dynasties must now be addressed by the 20th Congress through a law that would respond to the call of the people. As the survey shows, 64 percent of the people want a law banning political dynasties.

This legislative ban was recorded across all groups with Metro Manila at 69 percent, the rest of Luzon, 74 percent and Visayas, 73 percent. In Mindanao, 32 percent are in favor, with 39 percent in disagreement and 29 percent undecided. The proposal is supported by 70 percent of respondents from Class ABC, and 66 percent from Class D. Too, 69 percent support banning relatives from holding the same national government post consecutively, with 22 percent undecided. Seventy percent support a proposal to limit family members running in an election to two, one for national post and another for a local post.

If the Pulse Asia survey was conducted before news on the flood control corruption broke out, I think many would agree that the response would been dispassionate as it had been over the past 40 years since the 1987 Constitution’s ban on political dynasties. Today we are witnessing winds of change in political will as shown through bills and public consultations. The House committee on suffrage in its consultation found that 76 percent believe a ban should be implemented. Thirty business and civil society groups are also asking Congress to pass a “genuine” anti-political dynasty law.

An earlier study by the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism showed that at least 71 out of 82 provincial governments were led by political dynasties. The Philippine Institute for Development Studies found that dynasties are present in the poorest provinces. Agham (Advocates of Science and Technology) noted how dynasties have taken over top posts in both local and national government with 90 percent in the Senate, 67 percent in the House, 80 percent in provincial government, and 63 percent of mayors. Such clout by political dynasties has prevented the participation of talented men and women who did not belong to families which had exercised political influence for decades.

At the 17th Congress in 2018, SBB 175 on political dynasty was introduced by Senator Francis Pangilinan. Again, Pangilinan filed the Anti-Political Dynasty Bill of 2025 that seeks to ban multiple family members within the second degree of consanguinity from holding or running for public office simultaneously. House Committee on Suffrage and Electoral Reforms Zia Alonto Adiong is pushing a bill that would prevent relatives of incumbent officials from holding positions up to the second degree of consanguinity but critics label the bill as “pro-political dynasty and that it shall allow “fat dynasties” to exist. During this 20th Congress, Senate Bill 1548 or Kontra Dynasty Act filed by Sen. Risa Hontiveros would prevent a person within the fourth degree to consanguinity from running for a national office and that no person related to a local elected official shall be allowed to hold or run for office. The same prohibition applies to party-list members.

The widening gap between those who live on a hand-to-mouth existence is to a large extent due to the uneven distribution of wealth and power. The flood control mess is an example of abuse of power by those who govern and are in control of the resources of our country. LENTE or Legal Network for Truthful Elections linked existing corruption to current abuse of checks and balances.

With the passage of a responsive Anti-Political Dynasty law, we can expect the displacement of some 5,000 elected government officials. Which is a welcome change as we may now be able to encourage new and talented faces to compete in the 2028 race for some of the 9,852 elective positions. ([email protected])