THE former president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) on Wednesday, December 10, 2025, expressed support for the proposed anti-political dynasty bill.
In a social media post, Kalookan Cardinal Pablo David said it is now up to lawmakers whether they will act on the call to pass the legislation.
"Political monopolies strangulate democracy at its roots. This levels the playing field and opens space for genuine public service," said David.
"The ball is now in the court of Congress and the Senate. Will they choose personal interest and political expediency—or will they make the historic choice to pass into law what truly safeguards the common good?" he added.
At the meeting of the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (Ledac) in Malacañang on Tuesday, Marcos asked lawmakers to prioritize the passage of four bills, including the Anti-Political Dynasty bill.
The bill aims to prohibit relatives of incumbent officials from immediately succeeding them or holding simultaneous positions, especially within the same area.
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) also supports Marcos' push for an anti-dynasty bill.
In a phone interview, Comelec Chairman George Garcia said they strongly support the bill, as it has long been a provision of the 1987 Constitution.
"We will support any initiative that will put an end to political dynasties. The Constitution must at all times reign supreme," said Garcia.
"The importance is unparalleled. Equal opportunity for public service must be guaranteed," he added.
The Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ) said there are at least 18 political dynasties with five or more members in public office elected during the May 2025 polls.
Spread across Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, PCIJ said families that continue to dominate local and national positions include the Marcos, Duterte, Singson, Ortega, Villar, Romualdez, Hataman-Salliman, Pacquiao, Dimaporo, and Tan clans. (Anton Banal/SunStar Philippines)