Two members of the academe, including one who served in the 2018 Consultative Committee (ConCom) that reviewed the 1987 Constitution, yesterday said the passage of the anti-dynasty bill on third reading by the House of Representatives marks a significant step toward realizing the constitutional mandate prohibiting political dynasties.
Professor Eddie Alih, former chancellor of the Mindanao State University at Tawi-Tawi, noted that this is the first time in 39 years that an anti-dynasty legislation survived plenary debate in the House.
“This is an encouraging development. Regardless of what the bill proposes, hurdling plenary debate in a legislature dominated by political dynasties signals that we may eventually have a law that regulates political dynasties,” said Alih, who was a member of the 2018 ConCom that proposed strong anti-dynasty provisions.
The anti-dynasty measure is among the 21 bills included in the priority legislative agenda of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. agreed upon with the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council last February.
The Senate has yet to pass its own version of the bill.
Professor Edna Co, former dean of the University of the Philippines National College of Public Administration and Governance, said the two versions “have laid out key points” that “open the gate to wider discussion.”
“I guess the two versions could be sent to sail off, after which whatever could be harmonized should be done,” said Co who prefers the Senate version because of its “defined key terms, concepts, scope and limits.”
“Once the Senate passes its version, then the bicameral conference committee can work on reconciling their provisions to come up with a final law,” said Alih, who was also a member of the Parliament of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao.