CenPEG Slams “Watered-Down” Anti-Political Dynasty Bill,Warns it will legalize dynasties

Think tank Center for People Empowerment in Governance (CenPEG) today expressed serious concern over what it described as a “very weak and watered-down” version of the proposed Anti-Political Dynasty Bill currently being deliberated in Congress.

CenPEG Chairperson Roland G. Simbulan criticized the measure for merely prohibiting multiple family members from occupying government posts at the same time or within the same term, while still allowing political clans to maintain power across different levels and seats of government.

“This version of the Anti-Political Dynasty Bill is a clear accommodation to entrenched political families,” said Simbulan. “By limiting the prohibition only to simultaneous occupancy of positions, it leaves wide open the practice of dynasties fielding relatives in different levels of government — from national to local — and in different congressional seats, provinces, cities, and municipalities.”

Simbulan noted that the 1987 Constitution explicitly mandates the State to prohibit political dynasties as may be defined by law. However, he emphasized that a weak definition effectively defeats the spirit of the constitutional provision and will instead could have an opposite effect.

“Instead of dismantling political dynasties, this bill risks institutionalizing them. In fact, it will legalize — not just legitimize — political dynasties by setting a narrow definition that effectively allows political clans to continue dividing positions among family members,” he said.

The CenPEG chair explained that under the proposed framework, dynastic families could still strategically distribute candidacies across various levels of government.

“What we are seeing is not genuine reform but a calibrated adjustment that protects the interests of powerful clans. Political dynasties can still divide territories among family members — one runs for Congress, another for governor, another for mayor. This preserves the monopoly of political power within a single family,” he added.

According to CenPEG, such arrangements perpetuate patronage politics, weaken democratic competition, and undermine equal access to public office. The group stressed that meaningful reform must include restrictions not only on simultaneous holding of office but also on successive candidacies and cross-level positioning of immediate family members within the same territorial jurisdiction.

CenPEG also pointed out that many of the original sponsors of the more than 20 Anti-Political Dynasty bills filed in Congress have reportedly withdrawn their sponsorship, expressing concern that the consolidated version being pushed forward no longer reflects the stronger provisions of their proposals.

“It is deeply troubling that several original sponsors of the anti-political dynasty measures have withdrawn their sponsorship after seeing how the consolidated version was railroaded. What

was supposed to be a meaningful reform has been diluted into a measure that protects the very interests it was meant to regulate,” Simbulan said.

“If we are serious about democratizing political power, the law must prevent both simultaneous and successive concentration of power within one family in the same province, city, municipality, or legislative district. Otherwise, this bill will only legitimize — and effectively legalize — dynastic dominance rather than dismantle it,” he added.

CenPEG called on lawmakers to revisit the bill and strengthen its provisions in line with the constitutional mandate and long-standing public clamor for political reform.

“The Filipino people deserve a political system where leadership is based on merit, competence, and public trust — not on surname and bloodline. Anything less than a robust anti-dynasty law is a betrayal of democratic principles,” Simbulan concluded.

CenPEG reiterated its commitment to advocating for structural political reforms that advance people’s empowerment, accountability, and genuine democratic governance. ###