Small majority of Filipinos want anti-dynasty law now, support lowest in Mindanao

MANILA, Philippines – A “small majority” of adult Filipinos want the immediate passage of a law banning political dynasties in the Philippines, the latest survey of Pulse Asia Research, Incorporated shows.

The results of the nationwide survey released on Monday, December 29, also showed that agreement on the passage of the long-proposed measure is lowest in Mindanao.

“The predominant sentiment among Filipino adults (54%) is one of agreement with the Congress immediately passing a law banning political dynasties in the country. This observation also holds true in Metro Manila (69%), the rest of Luzon (59%), the Visayas (59%), and Class D (57%),” Pulse Asia said in a press statement on Monday, December 29.

“Public opinion on the matter is split three (3) ways in Mindanao (34% agreement, 38% indecision, and 27% disagreement),” the pollster added.

The survey showed that more Filipinos are undecided over their agreement or disagreement with the immediate passage of an anti-dynasty law (27%) compared to those who disagree with it (18%).

The survey was done from December 12 to 15, or days after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. urged Congress to prioritize passing an anti-dynasty bill. Critics dismissed the move as a mere publicity stunt because if the President was really serious about the speedy passage of the measure, he would have certified it as urgent.

Anti-dynasty bills: Some more genuine than others

There are 11 anti-dynasty bills filed in the 20th Congress including, ironically, from the biggest dynasts including presidential son House Majority Leader Sandro Marcos, and House Speaker Bojie Dy. But studied further, only a few of these bills are genuine anti-dynasty measures.

Sandro and Dy filed a joint bill that, if passed, would not have any significant effect on their political clans. In their proposed bill, what is only prohibited are family members up to the fourth degree of consanguinity holding office in the same level or jurisdiction.

The Marcos-Dy bill, if applied to the current Marcos political dynasty, would only affect two people. For example, on the national level, either President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. or Senator Imee Marcos can serve, while Sandro and his uncles — Leyte 1st District Representative Martin Romualdez and Ilocos Norte 2nd District Representative Angelo Marcos Barba — can still serve simultaneously as they represent different districts. In Ilocos Norte, only one between Governor Cecilia Araneta Marcos and Matthew Marcos Manotoc can serve.

The bills filed by the opposition bloc, particularly by Makabayan and Akbayan, prohibit family members up to the fourth degree of consanguity from holding any national or local elective office. The bills also prohibit immediate succession to a family member.

There has been a momentum in the anti-political dynasty movement led by the young members of political families themselves, including Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto, although their coalition’s version is more lenient than those of Makabayan and Akbayan.

 At least 71 of the country’s 82 provincial governments or 87% are led by members of political dynasties, according to research by the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ).

The 1987 Constitution prohibits political dynasties. Article II, Section 26 says: “The State shall guarantee equal access to opportunities for public service, and prohibit political dynasties as may be defined by law.”

However, there is no enabling law to define it.

Congress, which must pass this bill, is full of dynasts (8 in every 10 district representatives before the last elections), and the President who must sign it into law is a dynast himself.

There are petitions before the Supreme Court asking it to compel Congress to pass the enabling law and to, quite literally, do their job and follow the Constitution. The last one has been pending in the Supreme Court since April 2025.

Push for stronger ICI

The same Pulse Asia survey showed that 52% of Filipinos want Congress to pass a law to create a “fully empowered” Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI).

There was a groundswell in the country for the anti-dynasty movement along with increasing interest in the investigation of the flood control scandal. Some of the public officials who are under investigation, or at who have at least been recommended for investigation, belong to political dynasties who are also contractors.

However, momentum has slowed down with the ICI not live-streaming all of its hearings, as some subjects requested executive sessions. To make matters worse, two out of three ICI commissioners have resigned, leaving only the chair — retired SC justice Andres Reyes — to run it.

The ICI created by Marcos through an executive order has no prosecutorial power. Any result of their investigation will just be forwarded to prosecutors, who are also already investigating themselves. – Rappler.com