The House Committee on Suffrage and Electoral Reforms on Tuesday approved the consolidated Anti-Political Dynasty bill anchored on a second-degree prohibition.
The committee, chaired by Lanao del Sur Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong, adopted House Bill 6671, principally authored by Speaker Faustino G. Dy III and House Majority Leader Ferdinand Alexander Marcos, as the working draft of the consolidated measure.
The approved version bars political dynasties within the second degree of consanguinity or affinity, prohibiting arrangements such as spouses serving as mayor and vice mayor, siblings serving simultaneously as senators, or a father serving as governor while a child sits on the provincial board in the same province.
Adiong said the committee unanimously approved the measure after a series of consultations in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.
“Earlier today, the House version of the anti-political dynasty bill was approved. We adopted the committee report and hope to bring it to the plenary next week for debates and eventual approval,” he told reporters.
Dy hailed the approval as a decisive step toward enforcing a long-standing constitutional mandate. “For nearly four decades, the Constitution has directed Congress to prohibit political dynasties. Today, we move closer to fulfilling that mandate,” he said.
Dy said the second-degree coverage reflects consultations nationwide and represents a balanced approach—firm enough to give meaning to the constitutional ban yet measured to ensure fairness and practical implementation.
Article II, Section 26 of the 1987 Constitution directs the State to prohibit political dynasties as may be defined by law, but no enabling statute has been passed.
The bill bars spouses and relatives within the second civil degree from simultaneously holding national or local elective posts, including President, Vice President, Senator, and positions within the same province, city, municipality, or barangay.
Candidates must file a sworn statement with the Commission on Elections declaring that their candidacy will not create a prohibited political dynasty. The prohibition will take effect in the next election if enacted into law.
