Manila: A Senate committee on Tuesday endorsed a consolidated bill prohibiting relatives up to the second degree of consanguinity or affinity from simultaneously holding national or local elective posts. Senate Committee on Electoral Reforms and People's Participation Committee chairperson Risa Hontiveros emphasized that the proposed bill includes parents, children, siblings, and spouses.
According to Philippines News Agency, Hontiveros stated that the second-degree prohibition represents a practical 'first step' toward reform. The measure aims to implement the 1987 Constitution's directive to prohibit political dynasties as defined by law. In her sponsorship speech, Hontiveros highlighted that for nearly four decades, the constitutional command to guarantee equal access to public service opportunities and prohibit political dynasties has remained unfulfilled.
Committee Report No. 33 recommends the approval of Senate Bill No. 1901, titled 'An Act Prohibiting Political Dynasties in National and Local Elective Offices and Party-Lists, and Providing Penalties Therefor'. The bill prohibits both simultaneous and successive holding of elective posts within the same jurisdiction, including party-list participation. Hontiveros noted that enforceability was a key consideration, leading to the decision to limit the prohibition to relatives within the second degree.
The measure requires candidates and party-list nominees to submit sworn certifications declaring that no prohibited political dynasty relationship exists. It authorizes the Commission on Elections to deny or cancel certificates of candidacy upon verified violation and provides for criminal penalties under the Omnibus Election Code. Hontiveros argued that entrenched political dynasties are linked to weaker development outcomes, citing studies that show a correlation between dynasties and higher poverty incidence, weaker human development outcomes, and slower local economic growth.
The bill is described as both principled and practical, serving as a foundation for future amendments. It will take effect in the next succeeding elections, allowing incumbents to complete their terms as provided under the transitory clause. Senate President Vicente Sotto III expressed openness to the second-degree limitation, describing it as the original and more realistic proposal.
Senator JV Ejercito co-sponsored the measure in the plenary, calling the day 'historic' and long overdue. Citing data from the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism, Ejercito noted that 71 out of 82 provincial governments remain under political families, and at least 18 provinces have 'obese' dynasties where five or more relatives hold office simultaneously. Ejercito stressed that the bill seeks to democratize public service and ensure that no family monopolizes political power.
