Republic of the Philippines

POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES

SANTA ROSA CAMPUS
City of Santa Rosa, Laguna

Unravel of Political Dynasties in Public Governance in the Philippines

Syrel Lidelle M. Santos

Political dynasty commonly refers to a family in which several members by blood

in several generations or multiple siblings are involved in electoral politics. (Simbulan,
2007) defined political dynasty as a succession of people from the same family who
plays a role in politics. It has existed in the political environment in the Philippines for
many years and it is one of a big issue that the Philippines could not solve. This political
issue is raising concern about the inequality in the distribution of political power that
may reflect flaws in the government system.

Based from the Article II, Section 26 of the 1987 Constitution, it says that “The
State shall guarantee equal access to public service and prohibit political dynasty as
may be defined by law.” Despite of this Anti-Political Dynasty Act implemented, our
fellow citizens still continue to support political dynasties. Even though political dynasty
is considered a crime. However, it still exists here in the Philippines because political
dynasties have no definite definition in our constitution (Cruz, 2013). The citizens cannot
be blamed for the existence of political dynasty, because some of the political
candidates use their money and influences to manipulate and convince people to vote
for them. Also, the loyalty of the people is considered the strongest arm that holds a
political family. Its contributions, legacies and through providing sustainability projects
that their political family brought into this country is one of the key factors that bring the
occurrence of the personalistic mind set of voters during elections. 

According to (Bershidsky 2015) political dynasties are not that always negative in
nature. He even cited the paper of Mendoza, Beja, Venida & Yap stating that political
dynasties engage in long-term planning and implementation of government projects as
compared with politicians with shorter terms of office. This expresses that political
 Republic of the Philippines
POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES
SANTA ROSA CAMPUS
City of Santa Rosa, Laguna

families while expanding their powers manage to take care of their constituents as well.
The projects implemented by the members of ruling clans are given sustainability
through the rule of one political family. This could be a reason why citizens in our
country, choose to patronize political families.

People come to accept the existing succession of political clans as a tradition.

Embedded in their heads is the thoughts that there is nothing wrong with a family laying
down its hand all over the country. It was considered as a tradition because of inaction.
People barely oppose to what these political dynasties impose in their places. As a
result, this political system is dominated by fraud, corruption and violence. That is why I
am fully against to the idea of political dynasties and why it should be banned because
indeed, democratic rules no longer apply in the selection of candidates for public office
and it is denying other people from aspiring to become public servants. It is for self-
perpetuation; personal gain and it promotes graft and corruption. There are a lot of
things, why it can cause a downfall in our country rather than an advantage for our
citizens. 

It is a common fact in the country that family members of incumbent politicians

run for public office. National and local elections are dominated by these politically
empowered families. Up to now, however, the “political dynasties” have not been clearly
defined by law in the Philippines. This condition allows and is being used by incumbent
politicians to push their family members to pursue political careers. And of course,
seeing how these family members observe and experience the prestige, power, and
influence of being in politics, they are more inclined to pursue the same career path.
This system then leads to an increased and increasing number of family members
holding public office, creating the undefined “political dynasties.” 

Supreme Court had defined the term political dynasties in the case of Navarro v.
Ermita (GR No. 180050; April 12, 2011). In that ruling, Supreme Court Justice Antonio
Carpio defined political dynasties in the Philippines as a “phenomenon that
concentrates political power and public resources within the control of a few families
 Republic of the Philippines
POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES
SANTA ROSA CAMPUS
City of Santa Rosa, Laguna

whose members alternately hold elective offices, deftly skirting term limits.” Political
dynasty creates controversies over the equality of powers. The latter has been defined
by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) as “abuse of pubic power for
private benefit through bribery, extortion, influence peddling, nepotism, fraud, or
embezzlement.

There is an Anti-Political Dynasty Act of the Constitution, Article II, Section 26

which was mentioned above and there was a bill that was filed by Sen. Miriam
Defensor-Santiago on January 24, 2011. Other bills on the same topic were also filed by
then senator Alfredo Lim in 2004 (SB-1317), Senator Panfilo Lacson in 2007 (SB-1468),
and Rep. Teddy Casino (House Bill-2493) also in 2007. Unfortunately, even though bills
have been filed since the 8Th Congress to have a law to stop the establishment of
political dynasties, the Congress has failed to pass such a law.

Many bills and laws are passed to define a political dynasty in order to prohibit
building political dynasties here in our country, but the very problem of these bills and
laws are the government officials who is indeed will pass these bills and laws are also
the people who are guilty of building such political dynasties here in our country.
(Donato, 2010)

The 2014 study done by Querubin of the Department of Politics in New York

University indicated that an estimate 50-70% of all politicians are involved or associated
in a political dynasty within the Philippines, including local government units. In the
same study, it was concluded that approximately 70% of all jurisdictions-based
legislators in the current Congress are involved in a political dynasty, with 40% of them
have ties to legislators who belonged to as far as 3 Congresses prior. It is also said that
77% of legislators between the ages of 26-40 are also dynastic, which indicates that the
second and third generations of political dynasties in the Philippines have begun their
political careers as well.

There are a lot of political families in the local government, as well as national
government such as the Binays, Aquinos, Arroyos, Marcoses, Ejercitos, Cayetanos, and
 Republic of the Philippines
POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES
SANTA ROSA CAMPUS
City of Santa Rosa, Laguna

others. The fact that there are numerous people involved in political dynasties can mean
that the situation regarding the prevention of political dynasties; especially in the local
government may really get out of hand.

However, it is an undeniable fact that political dynasties are beneficial when

implementing programs having long-term goals and although there is a widespread
belief that political dynasties can never be terminated for injecting damage, there are
certain points that serve as signs for positive change. Several young politicians from
dynasties have broken away with their old ways of ruling specific areas. They must have
been unfairly disqualified from public service. They had proven their capacity to govern
responsibly. One example is Sergio Osmeña Jr., a worthy public official, who might
have been inequitably barred for being the son of his illustrious father. (Philippine Daily
Inquirer, 2007).

Because of local empowerment, good dynasties are becoming more responsive

to the call of good governance like how the Dutertes from Davao, used their influence to
establish relative peace under an iron hand and boasts of being a drug free, and crime
free city. The real threat of extra-judicial executions makes even the hardened criminals
become soft with fear. In addition, their continued existence help promote continued
progress and development, so long as the succeeding leader is actually capable and
not just voted for his namesake. Also, another example of a prosperous region, which
has been ruled under a political dynasty for over a century, is La Union. “The family of
Ortegas has occupied elective and appointed positions in the province since the 20th
century. In 1901, Joaquin Ortega was appointed governor by the US colonial
administration. In 2006, ten Ortegas was holding various elective posts in La
Union” (Medel, 2007). The prosperity of the region speaks clearly, of how well the
dynasty has managed. Boasting a 97% literacy rate and a 94.77% employment rate, La
Union is classified as a first-class province (La Union, 2007). 

On the contrary, we cannot have the assurance that all dynasties bear good
intention and good heirs. Taking a risk with these unscrupulous dynasties will put us in
 Republic of the Philippines
POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES
SANTA ROSA CAMPUS
City of Santa Rosa, Laguna

great danger like the Ampatuans’, whose name has been thrust to the limelight after the
event of the “Maguindanao Massacre” where 58 individuals consisting of their family
rival’s, the Mangudadatus, relatives and some journalists were shot and killed
preventing them from filing their patron’s certificate of candidacy. (Essays UK, 2018) We
have seen firsthand what a ruling family, such as the Ampatuans, can do if their power
remains unchecked over their respective provinces and the Ampatuans have
succeeded using their power and control of government resources to accomplish one of
the most gruesome crimes in the Philippines today.

And perhaps the most infamous of all would be the political dynasty of the
Marcos family. Alleged to have embezzled between US$5 billion and US$10 billion from
the Philippines, Transparency International has ranked Ferdinand Marcos at second on
a list of the world’s most corrupt political leaders of the past two decades; surpassed
only by former Indonesian President Suharto (Ferdinand Marcos: Killer File, 2000).
Names like the Estradas/Ejercitos and the Singson families have also linked the image
of the political dynasty to allegations of graft and corruption. Luis “Chavit” Singson,
governor of the province of Ilocos Sur, alleged that he had personally given Estrada the
sum of 400 million pesos as payoff from illegal gambling profits such as “jueteng”, as
well as 180 million pesos from the government price subsidy for the tobacco farmers’
marketing cooperative. Singson’s allegation caused an uproar across the nation, which
culminated in Estrada’s impeachment trial by the House of Representatives on
November 13, 2000. (Essays UK, 2018)

Empowerment of localities spoils with the fact that local politicians have more to
gain personally from public office, fueling the cycle of violence (New York Times, 2007).
Filipinos should realize how vital their share is in running this country. Political dynasties
are slowly sweeping our ways in a right path, thus, pulling us down towards the
marginalized section of society. Yes, we have an anti-dynasty provision written in the
1987 constitution, but it is useless unless a legislation to impose it is passed by the
Congress. 
 Republic of the Philippines
POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES
SANTA ROSA CAMPUS
City of Santa Rosa, Laguna

Political dynasty is a social cancer, a disease which continuously spreading

rapidly of political clans and the cure is not yet invented. Our country’s “defense system”
is weak, and therefore we are vulnerable from people who want to advance in our own
personal interest and the presence of corruption is greater and the country is at risk.
When it comes to the law and bills that was passed there is no way that the Congress is
doing it, the reason is obvious; Congress is the principal haven of political dynasties. It
is time to have a serious thought be devoted to this problem and still, Philippines is a
democratic country and the people still possessed the supreme power. We, Filipinos, as
the lifeblood and the backbone of our country must exercise suffrage, free from
dictations and commands. We have to use our heads in order for us not to be deceived
by these politicians. The right to vote is our essential power to choose the leaders that
will run the torch of the success. Together, we can be united as one and take a firm
stand to push the Congress to pass a law that prohibits and penalize political dynasties
as to minimize corruption and greed and not to abuse the power that is given to them. 
 Republic of the Philippines
POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES
SANTA ROSA CAMPUS
City of Santa Rosa, Laguna

References

Websites:
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philippine-political-dynasties.html
 Republic of the Philippines
POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES
SANTA ROSA CAMPUS
City of Santa Rosa, Laguna

Panganiban, A. (2003, December 07). Political dynasties: bane or boon? Philippine

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