By Leonel Abasola
MANILA – Senator Panfilo Lacson is pushing for the passage of Anti-Political Dynasty Act, which aims to fulfill the 1987 Constitution’s provision guaranteeing equal access to opportunities for public service and prohibiting political dynasties.
In a radio interview on Wednesday, Lacson said Senate Bill No. 35 titled “The Anti-Political Dynasty Act of 2025,” bars the spouse or a person related within the second degree of consanguinity or affinity to an incumbent seeking reelection from running in the same city and/or province in the same election.
“This proposed measure seeks to strike a balance between the two competing fundamental principles of the electorate’s sovereignty and political dynasty. This is in consonance with the constitutional precept that laws should be interpreted not in the letter that killeth but to the spirit that giveth life,” he said.
“Hence, the proposed measure seeks to prohibit the spouse or person related within the second degree of consanguinity or affinity, whether legitimate or illegitimate, full or half blood, to an incumbent elective official seeking re-election, to hold or run for any elective office in the same city and/or province in the same election.”
The proposed measure also prohibits two or more persons who have a political dynasty relationship from running simultaneously for an elective office within the same city and/or province, even if neither is related to the incumbent public official.
In filing the bill, Lacson noted that while the State recognizes the ill effects of political dynasties, there is still no enabling law to prohibit their existence in the political arena.
“Influential clans and families that are well-entrenched in the political arena have made positions in government their virtual playgrounds, resulting in the proliferation of small monarchies all over the country. This makes a mockery of what should otherwise be a level-playing field in politics and espouse political inequities,” he said.
“Unfortunately, despite numerous attempts to introduce an anti-political dynasty law as early as the 8th Congress to effect electoral reforms and level the political landscape, Congress failed to pass such a law,” he added.
Lacson accepted the chairmanship of the Senate Committee on Electoral Reforms and People’s Participation after it was offered to him by Senate President Francis Escudero through Senate Minority Leader Vicente “Tito” Sotto III. (Leonel Abasola/PNA)
