House begins anti-pol dynasty deliberations

As the long-stalled anti-political dynasty bill finally moved forward, House Speaker Faustino “Bojie” G. Dy III on Tuesday urged lawmakers to approach the deliberations with open minds.

The House of Representatives formally launched committee hearings on bills seeking to ban political dynasties, a constitutional provision that has remained unenforced since the 1987 Constitution was ratified. The first hearing of the Committee on Suffrage and Electoral Reforms, chaired by Lanao del Sur Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong, was attended by Dy, who authored one of 20 anti-dynasty bills filed in the House.

“Do not close your minds. Do not allow yourselves to be swayed by old standpoints. The purpose of this hearing is to clarify, weigh, and deepen understanding so that lawmakers can make informed decisions,” Dy said.

Dy expressed hope the hearings would spark meaningful discussion that addresses the needs of the Filipino people. He emphasized that nearly four decades after the Constitution was ratified, the provision guaranteeing equal access to public service and prohibiting political dynasties still lacks an enabling law.

“The Filipino people have been waiting for this for 40 years,” Dy said. “It is now the responsibility of the 20th Congress to pass it.”

He added that the measure forms part of broader democratic reforms aimed at strengthening institutions and widening access to public office. Dy also highlighted that the anti-dynasty bill was identified as a priority by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. during the recent Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) meeting.

“The President himself recognizes that it is time to pass this measure. Sa huling LEDAC, isinama niya ang anti-political dynasty act sa mga priority measures,” Dy said.

Dy filed House Bill No. 6771 with Majority Leader Ferdinand Alexander “Sandro” Marcos, one of the measures taken up during the hearing. He stressed that the deliberations aim to gather views, examine implications, and ensure that all sides are heard.

Commission on Elections chairman Erwin Garcia, present at the hearing, said the passage of the law is within reach.

“I believe approval is not far off, given the concerted efforts from the President and the Senate,” Garcia said.

Garcia noted that the most challenging part of pushing the law forward is the technical aspect: defining what constitutes a political dynasty and determining the level of disqualification. To address this, technical working groups (TWGs) will be formed to draft precise language before presenting it to Congress.

“The most important thing is to start, just like with the Sangguniang Kabataan Reform Law. The scope doesn’t have to be perfect at the start. What matters is that it moves forward,” Garcia said.

He emphasized that the Constitution clearly prohibits political dynasties and directs Congress to define and implement this through law.

“The mandate of the people is clear: this provision must be enforced,” Garcia added. He also noted that the bill will consider potential limitations on citizens’ rights to choose their leaders while clearly defining “political dynasty” to avoid ambiguity.