BUSINESS and civil society groups on Tuesday rejected the proposed Anti-Political Dynasty Act (House Bill 8389), saying it “does the exact opposite, it institutionalizes the entrenched control of political families,” and asking the Senate and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to veto the measure.
“This is not reform but protection of dynasties and making sure there are no reforms,” said a joint statement from the Justice Reform Initiative, Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines, Makati Business Club, Management Association of the Philippines, Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting, Philippine Institute of Arbitrators, and Shareholders’ Association of the Philippines.
On June 3, the House of Representatives passed on third and final reading the bill supposedly aiming to curb the concentration of political power among a few families and expand opportunities for more Filipinos to seek public office.
However, a provision in the bills bans relatives from holding office only within the second degree of consanguinity or affinity in the same political unit.
The groups warned that if the bill becomes law, one family can simultaneously hold governor, congressman, and mayor in a province while other members sit as senator, vice president, or president.
It would also enable “unlimited succession” where a termed-out official can hand his position directly to a spouse, child, or sibling with no waiting period and “no end in sight.”
Position switching is also seen where a congressman and mayor from the same family can simply swap seats when their terms expire.
A real anti-political dynasty law would not come from a Congress populated by dynasties, said the groups, which are supporting the “Dapat Isa Lang” campaign of the People’s Initiative Coalition Against Dynasties (Picad).
The campaign wants to limit family members up to the fourth degree of relations to one national and one local position at a time, with firm prohibitions on succession and switching.
“Filipinos should be spared of HB 8389 and, as a nation, should finally rid itself of the affliction of dynasties,” the groups said.
