The odds of passing an anti-political dynasty law, experts say, may seem slim as the 2025 midterm polls – which is set to fill half of the Senate – remained marked by the presence of political dynasties.
ABS-CBN Research and Verification Unit’s count revealed that 16 of the 63 senatorial candidates were related to another candidate or an incumbent government official.
Of the 16 Senate bets, five have relatives who are senators currently in office, and four of the five may simultaneously sit alongside their siblings until 2028 should they win. These four include reelectionist Pia Cayetano, brothers Ben and Erwin Tulfo, and Las Pinas Rep. Camille Villar. Villar is eyeing to replace her mother, Sen. Cynthia Villar who is currently serving alongside his son, Mark Villar. Then there’s Makati Mayor Mar-len Abigail “Abby” Binay-Campos who may take the place of her sister, graduating Sen. Nancy Binay.
Six candidates have surnames that carry a familiar ring in the Senate as they are linked by blood to former senators. Former senator Bam Aquino hails from a family that produced five senators, one of whom became president of the Philippines. Reelectionist Sen. Imee Marcos has two relatives who both served as senators before becoming presidents of the country. Former senator Tito Sotto III, reelectionist Ramon Bong Revilla Jr., Cayetano, and Villar each have one relative who served as a senator.
While Article II Section 26 of the 1987 Constitution expressly prohibits political dynasties, the tight grip of powerful clans remains on each rung of the government.
“According to the Ateneo School of Government, on average at the rate things are going, close to 70 or 80 percent of all local and national position will be in the hands of political dynasties. ‘Pag ito nangayri, matatawag pa ba natin ‘tong sistema natin na isang demokrasya?” said Julio Teehankee, a political science professor at De La Salle University.
Experts say political dynasties continue to dominate due to the absence of an enabling law that would define and execute the Constitutional restriction.
Despite the 70 bills filed over almost four decades, none has been signed into law and nearly all of them have lingered on the committee level. Experts attribute this to the prevalence of political dynasty in the very legislature that is supposed to draft and pass the measure.
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