President Marcos wants the long-delayed Anti-Political Dynasty Bill passed during his administration, Malacañang said on Thursday, June 4, after the House of Representatives approved its version of the measure.

Speaking at a Palace press briefing, Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary Claire Castro said the President remains committed to fulfilling a constitutional provision that seeks to prohibit political dynasties as defined by law.

“May version ang House of Representatives, may magiging version din po ang Senado (There is a version from the House of Representatives, and there will also be a version from the Senate),” she said.

“So, titingnan po ng Pangulo dahil kapag ito po ay naipasa na at napakita na po sa Pangulo ay titiyakin po na ito ay isa sa magiging priority bills dahil ito po talaga ang nais ng Pangulo na sa kaniyang pamumuno ay maipasa ang Anti-Political Dynasty Bill (So, the President will review it because once it is passed and presented to him, he will ensure that it remains one of his priority measures because he truly wants the Anti-Political Dynasty Bill to be enacted during his administration),” she added.

The House-approved measure seeks to prohibit spouses and relatives up to the second degree of consanguinity or affinity from simultaneously running for or holding elective positions in the same locality, including barangays, municipalities, cities, provinces, and legislative districts. The coverage includes parents, children, siblings, and spouses.

The Senate, meanwhile, has endorsed a counterpart measure that also bars relatives up to the second degree of consanguinity or affinity from holding elective posts simultaneously.

The Anti-Political Dynasty Bill was among the 21 priority measures approved by the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) earlier this year. President Marcos personally directed Congress to prioritize its passage alongside other governance and transparency reforms.

The President has repeatedly identified the measure as one of the key reforms he wants enacted to strengthen public trust in government and improve governance.

In previous briefings, Malacañang also said Marcos was open to certifying the bill as urgent depending on the final provisions approved by Congress.

Meanwhile, Castro dismissed claims that Marcos may refuse to sign the bill because members of his own family occupy elected positions.

“Makikita ninyo naman po talaga ang ibang mga tao nais lamang magbigay ng negatibo sa Pangulo (You can see that some people simply want to portray the President negatively),” she said,

“Ang Pangulo nga po ang nagsabi na unahin ito (It was the President himself who said this should be prioritized),” she added.

Castro recalled that during a LEDAC meeting attended by lawmakers, including Sen. Risa Hontiveros, Marcos personally pushed for the measure and expressed his desire to see it enacted within his term.

Questions about the measure have drawn attention because several members of the Marcos family currently hold elected positions.

President Marcos' sister, Sen. Imee Marcos, is serving in the Senate, while his son, Ilocos Norte First District Rep. Sandro Marcos, is a member of the House of Representatives. Former House Speaker Martin Romualdez is his cousin. Other relatives of the President also hold local elective positions in Ilocos Norte.

The 1987 Constitution mandates Congress to prohibit political dynasties “as may be defined by law,” but lawmakers have yet to pass an enabling measure nearly four decades after the Constitution's ratification.