Article by:
Jose Cielito Reganit
MANILA – House Committee on Suffrage and Electoral Reforms chairperson Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong on Wednesday said a study of the Socioeconomic Research Bureau (SERB) under the Congressional Policy and Budget Research Department (CPBRD) of the House of Representatives affirms that the Anti-Political Dynasty Bill (House Bill No. 8389) will change the landscape of Philippine politics and governance.
Adiong made the statement after his panel collaborated closely with the SERB to study the potential impact of a measure that would operationalize the constitutional directive to prohibit political dynasties.
To this end, SERB analyzed official election data directly from the Commission on Elections (Comelec), covering provincial, district and municipal positions.
The preliminary findings of SERB show that 9,852 out of 17,983 local-level positions (54.8 percent) are occupied by potential dynasts belonging to approximately 4,239 potential dynastic families.
“The data clearly shows that the committee version – with the second-degree consanguinity/affinity limitation – will have a significant impact on political dynasties. Projections indicate that over 5,000 elective positions could be vacated by individuals from political dynasties once the measure takes effect,” Adiong said in a news release.
He said the CPBRD is expected to release their full paper in the coming days, but the preliminary findings submitted already confirm the substantial reach and feasibility of the approach.
“We have emphasized this in our media briefings and public hearings: the 2nd-degree limit is both implementable and meaningful,” he said.
This assessment is consistent with data recently shared by the League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP), according to Adiong.
The LMP surveyed municipal mayors from 1,493 municipalities and found that approximately 917 mayors (61 percent) currently serve in jurisdictions where they have immediate or extended family members with a history of elective office.
The LMP further disclosed that their survey shows that only 39 percent come from non-dynastic backgrounds.
“Given the data we have, we can see that it is inaccurate to say that the committee version will not have an impact. The numbers say otherwise. The evidence proves that the second-degree provision strikes the right balance: it is stringent enough to open real opportunities for new leaders while remaining implementable,” Adiong said.
The plenary debate for HB 8389 is expected to be held Wednesday afternoon. (PNA)
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