Jauhn Etienne Villaruel

Article (news)

Victoria Tulad

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1770959469483Screen Shot 2026-02-13 at 1.09.45 PM_cropped_processed_by_imagy.png" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Committee chairperson Senate Deputy Majority Leader Risa Hontiveors led the meeting attended by members of the local government, civil society organizations, and students, who agreed that an anti-political dynasty law is needed. Sen. Risa Hontiveros&#x27; Facebook page/screengrab</span></span></span></div><div><br/></div><p>MANILA (UPDATED) — The anti-political dynasty bills filed in the Senate gained more support as the Senate Committee on Electoral Reforms and People’s Participation held a consultative meeting in Carlos Hilado Memorial State University in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental on Friday.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/2/11/senate-panel-conducts-consultative-meeting-on-anti-political-dynasty-bills-in-laguna-1315">Senate panel conducts consultative meeting on anti-political dynasty bills in Laguna</a></div><p>Committee chairperson Senate Deputy Majority Leader Risa Hontiveors led the meeting attended by members of the local government, civil society organizations, and students, who agreed that an anti-political dynasty law is needed.</p><p>Included in the group of panelists is Himamaylan, Negros Occidental Vice Mayor Justin Gatuslao, a self-confessed member of a &quot;political clan.&quot;</p><p>“I belong to a political clan. One often described as among the longest standing and most enduring in our province. And yet I am here with you today to say plainly and clearly, without hesitation, that I support the passage of an anti-political dynasty bill,” Gatuslao said.</p><p>He said of all the proposed measures, the most meaningful for him is the prohibition of succession to the same office by relatives within the third or fourth degree of consanguinity.</p><p>“We have seen this pattern for generations—a position passes from parent to child, from sibling to spouse, from cousin to cousin. A ban on succession addresses the real democratic concern,” Gatuslao remarked.</p><p>“It breaks the chain of continuous family control, it creates space for competition, it allows institutions to develop beyond personalities. It is often said that one week is a long time in politics. Imagine one full term of an interruption. Imagine what that means for power to rest even briefly in different hands,” he added.</p><p>Hontiveros shared that two of the seven authors of the six anti-political dynasty bills in the Senate are part of dynasties, as well.</p><p>“When they were talking about their bills sa committee hearing, sabi nung isa, ‘Ako dynasty,’ sabi nung isa, ‘Ako dynast.’ And they both said, in so many words, pero gusto kong luwagan yung political space sa iba pang mga Pilipino beyond our clan,” Hontiveros said, pertaining to Senators JV Ejercito and Erwin Tulfo.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/2/9/vico-sotto-supports-anti-dynasty-law-hindi-po-ito-laban-sa-isang-pamilya-1204">Vico Sotto supports anti-dynasty law: &#x27;Ayaw natin &#x27;yung concentration ng kapangyarihan sa iilan lamang&#x27;</a></div><p>“I think the odds in the Senate are good,” Hontiveros said when asked about the chances of an anti-political dynasty bill passing in the upper chamber.</p><p>Hontiveros’ bill is pushing for a ban up to the fourth civil degree of consanguinity and affinity, which includes first cousins, great-great-grandparents, and aunts or uncles-in-law. </p><div><br/></div><div><strong>HARMS OF POLITICAL DYNASTIES </strong></div><div><br/></div><p>Former Magdalo Rep. Gary Alejano, who filed an anti-political dynasty bill in the 18th Congress, cited harmful effects of political dynasties.</p><p>“First, it teaches leaders and upcoming leaders, like sa mga Sangguniang Kabataan, that power is entitlement. Not service. Second, it discourages good, capable Filipinos from even trying to serve,” Alejano said. “Magsasayang ka lamang ng panahon at resoruces kung alam mong talo ka na.”</p><p>He also mentioned that political dynasties weaken checks and balances.</p><p>“Kung iisang pamilya ang mayor, vice mayor at konseho, sino pa ang magbabantay?” Alejano asked.</p><p>He emphasized that elections should be based on merit, competence and integrity, not money.</p><p>“Reseach consistently shows that areas with entrenched dynasties lead to a higher poverty rate, weaker public services and lower human development scores. This is not coincidence, this is a pattern,” Alejano mentioned.</p><p>He clarified that the fight is against the system, not against individuals.</p><p>Dr. Bernaldo Eres from the University of St. La Salle Bacolod said democracy is put at risk by the exclusivity of political positions to a few families. He pointed out, however, that not all political dynasties are bad.</p><p>“We must be fair and balanced. Not all political dynasties govern poorly. Some genuinely serve with competence and integrity. Moreover, we must guard on reforms that restrict people’s freedom to choose leaders,” Eres commented.</p><p>“The ethical task before us is not to punish families, but to correct a system that allows excessive concentration of opportunity and influence,” he further said.</p><p>Rey Gorgonio, chair of the Negros chapter of the National Union of Peoples Lawyers (NUPL), said political dynasties perpetuate themselves through scholarship grants and financial aid programs such as the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS).</p><p>“Gagamitin niya yung kapangyarihang pang-ekonomiya, pampolitika para ensure na ma-perpetuate niya yung kanyang power, political power including yung kanyang mga pamilya,” Gorgonio said.</p><p>Priscilla Goco of Partido Manggagawa called for an end to political dynasties, saying Negros has many of this.</p><p>“Sa Negros, you name it we have it. Kung anong klase mang dinastiya yan. Merong fat, merong thin,” Goco said.</p><p>“Pinaghahati-hatian, ipinapamana na parang hacienda o negosyo lang ang posisyon sa politika. Sa asawa, sa anak, sa pinsan, sa apo at minsan sa mga in-laws sa bayaw o sinomang ka-affiliate o affinity,” she added.</p><p>Hontiveros reiterated that they hope to pass the anti-political dynasty bill in the Senate before Congress adjourns in March.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEOS</strong></div><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/m1YWTajfJ-8?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/tL8JEFSQLT0?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/mtBhqMb8USY?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>Sen. Risa Hontiveros reiterated that they hope to pass the anti-political dynasty bill in the Senate before Congress adjourns in March.</p>

Sen. Risa Hontiveros reiterated that they hope to pass the anti-political dynasty bill in the Senate before Congress adjourns in March.

Senate gets support for anti-political dynasty bills in consultative meeting in Bacolod

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Senate gets support for anti-political dynasty bills in consultative meeting in Bacolod

Victoria Tulad,

ABS-CBN News

Published Feb 13, 2026 01:23 PM PHT

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Updated Feb 13, 2026 10:07 PM PHT

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anti-political dynasty

risa hontiveros

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