Jonathan Frederic De Santos

A woman holds a poster against Political Dynasties at the anti-Charter Change Rallies at the EDSA People Power Monument in Quezon City. February 22, 2018. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News
 

Article (news)

Vivienne Gulla

ABS-CBN News

MANILA &mdash; House Speaker Faustino &ldquo;Bojie&rdquo; Dy III of Isabela and House Majority Leader Sandro Marcos &mdash; President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.&#39;s son &mdash; on Thursday filed a measure to ban political dynasties in the country.The two House leaders, who are from political clans, authored House Bill 6771, which proposes that &ldquo;spouses, siblings, and relatives within the fourth civil degree of affinity or consanguinity of a duly elected public officer are disqualified from simultaneously holding identified elective public positions&rdquo;.The fourth degree includes first cousins, grand nephews and nieces, great aunts and uncles, and great great grandparents.President Marcos Jr. earlier this week urged Congress to prioritize the passage of certain bills, including an anti-dynasty measure.Dy and Marcos said in their explanatory note said the 1987 Constitution prohibits political dynasties but that they &ldquo;have remained a pervasive feature of Philippine politics due to the absence of an enabling law that defines and prohibits them.&rdquo;&nbsp;<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/12/10/ridon-anti-dynasty-bill-will-likely-pass-if-speaker-dy-majority-leader-marcos-file-it-2135">Ridon: Anti-dynasty bill will likely pass if Speaker Dy, Majority Leader Marcos file it </a></div>They called their proposal &ldquo;a faithful execution of the above constitutional provision&mdash; a strategic reform for good governance, and an assertion of the principle that public office is a public trust.&rdquo;They said that passage of the bill would let Congress fulfill its constitutional mandate and &ldquo;take a crucial step toward building a more inclusive and accountable political system for all Filipinos.&rdquo;&nbsp;<div> </div><div>POLITICAL DYNASTIES, RELATIONSHIPS</div><div> </div>The bill defines &ldquo;political dynasty&rdquo; as the concentration and dominance of elective political power by persons related to one another.It meanwhile defines &ldquo;political dynasty relationship&rdquo; as &ldquo;an existing familial relationship with an incumbent elective public official, such as a spouse, direct ascendant or descendant, sibling or any other person related within the fourth civil degree of consanguinity or affinity whether legitimate or illegitimate, full or half-blood&rdquo;.The bill proposes these particular prohibitions: 1. If a person is an incumbent or candidate for any elective national position, the spouse and the above relatives are prohibited from holding any elective national position.  2. If a person is an incumbent or candidate for the position of Member of the House of Representatives, the spouse and the above relatives are prohibited from simultaneously holding the same position within the same legislative district.3. If a person is an incumbent or candidate for any elective provincial position, the spouse and the above relatives are prohibited to simultaneously hold any elective position in the same provincial government.4. If a person is an incumbent or candidate for any elective city or municipal office, the spouse and the above relatives are prohibited to simultaneously hold any elective position in the same city or municipal government.5. If a person is an incumbent or candidate for any elective barangay office, the spouse and the above relatives are prohibited to simultaneously hold any position the same barangay.<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/12/9/marcos-directs-congress-to-prioritize-anti-dynasty-party-list-reform-bills-1227">Marcos urges Congress to prioritize Independent People&rsquo;s Commission, anti-dynasty bills </a></div>Under a proposal by Caloocan City 2nd District Representative Edgar Erice, only two family members within the second degree of consanguinity or affinity may run simultaneously or hold elective public office.He said that it would be a challenge to pass the bill against dynasties when &quot;70-80 percent [of the] members of Congress are connected to political dynasties.&quot;He said allowing a limited number of relatives to run would at least trim dynasties down while giving members of Congress a compromise.Erice plans to file a petition before the Supreme Court in January to compel Congress to enact an enabling law for the constitutional provision banning political dynasties before the 2028 polls.University of the Philippines Political Science Professor Jean Franco stressed the importance of such a measure, saying <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/5/11/wrap-leftist-candidates-take-on-political-dynasties-in-halalan-2025-2203">the difficulty that non-dynastic candidates face</a> &quot;is a disaster for democracy.&quot;She said dynastic politics also subvert the system of checks and balances,&quot;Paano mo papagalitan kung ikaw mayor, tapos yung kapatid mo congressman, paano mo pagagalitan &lsquo;yun, di ba?&quot; she said.(How do you hold your own relatives accountable?)<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/11/21/anti-political-dynasty-bill-filed-again-at-senate-1330">Anti-political dynasty bill filed again at Senate </a></div>The House Committee on Suffrage and Electoral Reform targets to begin in hearings on the pending bills against political dynasties in January.

House Speaker Faustino “Bojie” Dy III of Isabela and House Majority Leader Sandro Marcos — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s son — on Thursday filed a measure to ban political dynasties in the country.

House Speaker Faustino “Bojie” Dy III of Isabela and House Majority Leader Sandro Marcos — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s son — on Thursday filed a measure to ban political dynasties in the country.

Speaker Dy, Sandro Marcos file anti-political dynasty bill

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Speaker Dy, Sandro Marcos file anti-political dynasty bill

Vivienne Gulla,

ABS-CBN News

Published December 11, 2025 03:15 PM PHT

Read More:

Faustino Dy III

Sandro Marcos

Political dynasties

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