“We should emphasize merit over lineage. Leadership should be earned, not inherited”
THE 1987 Constitution provides in Section 26 of Article II: “The state shall guarantee equal access to opportunities for public service, and prohibit political dynasties as may be defined by law.”
In a recent hearing conducted by the Senate committee on electoral reforms and people’s participation, former Commission on Elections Chair Christian Monsod, one of the framers of the 1987 Constitution, said he believes Congress owes it to the people to pass such piece of legislation in compliance with the letter and spirit of our fundamental law.
Here’s what he actually said: “We trusted when we were writing the Constitution that Congress would carry out this mission and duty on their part, and that Congress will have the capability and courage to change it as our democracy changes, as we improve.”
Monsod explained the framers left it to Congress to define political dynasty because they thought that “by including the mandate in the Declaration of Principles and State Policies, the Congress would enact an implementing law.”
“We were trusting Congress to do its job and that the extent and gravity of the problem may change over time. Today, we may need to extend beyond fourth degree, to first cousins. In later years, after we have gained political maturity—and I’m sorry to say, we have not gained political maturity—maybe the problem may be limited only to two degrees or one degree,” he added.
He lamented, further on: “We left that to the wisdom of the Congress, who are the representatives of the people. Unfortunately, that has not happened,” Monsod added.
The problem of political dynasties in the Philippines is not just extensive, it is deeply entrenched and systemic. It touches nearly every level of governance and has persisted for generations, despite being explicitly prohibited by the 1987 Constitution.
Political dynasties wield widespread control. As of 2025, around 80 percent of provincial governors and 67 percent of House representatives belong to political dynasties. In some cities, political clans dominate local governance entirely: 113 out of 149 cities are controlled by dynastic families.
Researchers at the Ateneo School of Government distinguish between “fat” and “obese” dynasties. The fat ones consist of 2 to 3 family members in office simultaneously and the obese ones are those with 4–5 or more relatives holding power at once.
These families often extend their influence into business, agriculture, mining, and real estate, creating a web of patronage and control that has proven to be very hard to dismantle.
Political dynasties have a deleterious impact on governance. Studies show that areas dominated by dynasties tend to suffer from higher poverty rates, weaker public services, and more corruption scandals, such as the recent flood control fund scam.
What should be done?
Congress should pass an Anti-Dynasty Law. The Constitution mandates a ban, but Congress has never passed an enabling law to define and enforce it.
An Anti-Dynasty Law should ban the candidacies of relatives up to the second or third degree of consanguinity (siblings, grandparents, nieces, and so on).
We should also push for reforms in the party-list system to prevent dynastic infiltration and restore its original purpose of representing marginalized sectors.
We should reduce the influence of money in politics to help level the playing field and weaken dynastic grip in our political system.
We need to enhance digital governance and transparency.
Automating public services and procurement processes will help to reduce discretion and opportunities for corruption.
We should also strengthen civic education, media literacy, and grassroots movements to help voters recognize and resist dynastic manipulation.
Political dynasties thrive on name recall, patronage, and systemic inequality. Breaking the cycle requires not just legislation, but a cultural shift where Filipino voters should bear in mind that leadership is earned, not inherited.
How to challenge political dynasties in the Philippines? We must vote for merit, not the surname. We should vote for new faces to inspire new hope. We should emphasize merit over lineage. Leadership should be earned, not inherited.
An inclusive democracy is where everyone deserves a fair shot at public service, as our fundamental law provides very clearly.
(Email: ernhil@yahoo.com)
