End political dynasties now, usher in people's government

The movement to curb and end the reign of political dynasties in the Philippines is underway.

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Last Monday, Dec. 8, on a public holiday commemorating the feast of the Immaculate Conception, the Anti-Dynasty Network (ADN) rallied support for the enactment of a comprehensive law that will remove the vise-grip of well-entrenched dynasties on Philippine politics and governance.

This is one of the few specific mandates of the 1987 Constitution that remains unfulfilled simply because no enabling law has been passed to implement its intent. Citing the massive outcry against ghost flood control projects, the ADN noted “the entrenchment, scale, and normalization of corruption” that thrive on account of the glaring reality that national and local politics are dominated by the ruling elite whose core is made up of a few families.

Specifically, the anti-dynasty advocates are pushing for the following reforms:

-No immediate succession into an elective office by a family member.

-A ban covering relatives up to the fourth civil degree of consanguinity or affinity, including grandparents, parents, in-laws, children, siblings, grandchildren, aunts, uncles, and first cousins.

-A prohibition on political families occupying overlapping constituencies, including:

- No two relatives running for or holding the positions of President, Vice President, or Senator at the same time;

- No two relatives holding provincial, city, or municipal offices simultaneously.

- Local officials barred from being related to their area's district representative.

- Relatives of sitting officials barred from being nominated under the party-list system.

Moreover, the ADN declared that genuine political reform also requires complementary electoral reforms and broader citizen engagement.