ACT TEACHERS Party-List, and Kabataan Party-List filed a House Bill prohibiting political dynasties in the country, which Bayan Muna Party-List previously filed in 2001.
ACT Teachers Party-List Rep. Antonio Tinio and Kabataan Party-List Rep. Renee Louise Co introduced the bill in the 20th congress on June 30 as House Bill No. 209.
In the introductory note of the bill, it cited Article II, Section 26 of the Constitution, which provides: “The State shall guarantee equal access to public service and prohibit political dynasty, as may be defined by law.”
“This Bill is hereby proposed to give real teeth to the Constitutional mandate and strengthen the call for new politics to lay the basis of greater empowerment for the greater number of Filipinos,” it reads.
The bill defines a political dynasty as a family or clan that concentrates, consolidates, or perpetuates its political power by holding public office simultaneously or successively.
It stressed that the public office has become the exclusive avenue of influential families and clans, which was evident in the recent May 2025 elections.
It cited a report from the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism that at least 18 “obese political dynasties,” or those with at least five clan members who are active in politics, have won in midterm elections.
“Such families have become so well-entrenched in Philippine politics that they have monopolized political power and public resources at all levels of government,” it read.
The report said that once politicians are elected to public office, they build a strong political base, assuring not only their re-election but also securing electoral support extended to their spouse or descendants or next of kin.
“These elected officials secure and consolidate their economic interest by perpetuating their families or clans in public office-indeed, establishing a dynasty, much like the hereditary monarchs and imperial families of old, using public service,” it added.
It also stressed that even the party-list system, supposedly installed to provide the marginalized and underrepresented sectors a chance to participate in the lawmaking process, is now also dominated by political families and big economic interests.
“In many instances, voters, for convenience and out of cultural mindset, look up to these economically and politically dominant families as dispensers of favors, material and otherwise, and tend to elect relatives of these politically dominant families,” it added.
Section 4 of the bill states that no person shall hold or run for any elective national or local office simultaneously with another within the fourth degree of consanguinity or affinity, whether legitimate or illegitimate, full or half blood; and no person within the prohibited civil degree of relationship to an incumbent elected official shall immediately succeed to the position of the latter.
Section 6 provides that any person running for any elective public office shall file a sworn statement with the Comelec that they do not fall under the prohibition under Section 4.
Section 7 stated that the Comelec shall, motu proprio or upon verified petition of any interested party, deny due course to any certificate of candidacy filed in violation of the Act.
The votes cast for the disqualified candidate, if any, on the other hand, will not be counted and deemed not counted, nor will such a candidate be proclaimed or be qualified to assume office.
Any citizen of voting age, candidate, or duly registered political party, organization, or coalition of political parties may file a petition to disqualify the violator with the Comelec, after the last day for filing of certificates of candidacy and before proclamation.
The petition, as stated in section 9, will be heard and decided summarily by the Comelec, after due notice and hearing, and its decision should be executory after the lapse of five days from receipt thereof by the losing party.
If, for instance, the petition cannot be decided by the Comelec before the completion of the canvass, the votes cast for the respondent can still be included in the counting and canvassing.
However, as per section 10, if the basis for such disqualification is strong, their proclamation of the candidate will be suspended even if they received the winning number of votes in the election, and in cases where a disqualified candidate has been proclaimed, they should forfeit their right to the office.
In the bill, the Comelec is mandated to create the rules and regulations for the implementation of the provisions of the Act.
Photo from ACT Teachers Party-List Facebook page
