“ANIM plans to file a petition with the Supreme Court, asking it to compel Congress to pass the long-awaited enabling law”
(First of 2 parts)
As the Philippines wrestles with the twin demons of corruption and political dynasties, a new force has risen from the ashes of disillusionment.
The Alyansa ng Nagkakaisang Mamamayan (ANIM) is not just another movement—it’s a rallying cry for those who believe that justice is worth fighting for.
Yet, the road ahead is treacherous, cluttered up with the leftovers of past efforts crushed by the very powers ANIM now dares to challenge.
The rise of citizen movements in the Philippines is not a new phenomenon; it is one that has been met time and again with formidable resistance.
The political landscape is littered with the remnants of once-promising reform movements, their aspirations crushed under the weight of vested interests and dynastic power.
The ANIM movement steps onto a stage where past attempts at electoral and political reform have been systematically undermined by those who benefit most from the status quo.
The roots of this struggle trace back to the post-Marcos era, when the nation’s collective cry for change birthed a new Constitution—one that included an anti-dynasty provision, a promise to the people that political power would no longer be monopolized by the few.
Yet, in the decades that followed, this provision remained nothing more than ink on paper, as successive governments failed to pass the enabling law necessary to enforce it.
The Philippines today stands as a stark testament to the dangers of unfulfilled promises, with political dynasties controlling 63 of the 82 provinces and nearly 40 percent of congressional districts.
A new hope or a familiar dream?
ANIM’s origins are rooted in the frustrations of retired military officers, religious leaders, businessmen, and civil society organizations who have grown tired of the endless cycle of corruption and political monopoly.
Figures like General Edilberto Adan and former Defense Secretary Renato de Villa lend the movement a gravitas born of decades in public service, but it is their decision to return from the comfort of retirement that speaks volumes about the urgency they feel.
Their goals are as ambitious as they are necessary.
They seek to initiate a People’s Initiative to push for an anti-dynasty law, an endeavor that will require mobilizing millions of Filipinos to sign petitions—a herculean task in itself.
They plan to file a petition with the Supreme Court, asking it to compel Congress to pass the long-awaited enabling law.
And they aim to challenge political families directly by filing complaints against them during the next election cycle.
But these actions, while bold, raise critical questions about their feasibility and the movement’s capacity to withstand the inevitable backlash.
The Biraogo case: A cautionary tale
The 2013 Biraogo v. Commission on Elections, G.R. 190520, Aug. 7, 2013, serves as a stark reminder of the uphill battle against entrenched political dynasties.
Back then, I, Louis “Barok” Biraogo, an anti-dynasty advocate, fought to compel the Commission on Elections to enforce the anti-dynasty provision in the 1987 Constitution.
The Supreme Court, however, dismissed my petition, citing the lack of a self-executing provision and the need for a legislative enabling law.
It was a crushing blow, highlighting the judiciary’s limitations in addressing this deeply rooted problem, effectively leaving the burden of reform squarely on the shoulders of a Congress that has consistently failed to pass the necessary legislation.
This experience underscores the grim reality that those who seek to reform the system from within often face insurmountable obstacles, leaving them vulnerable to the very forces they seek to challenge.
