Can we put an end to political dynasties?

Twenty-eight years ago, we were already contemplating putting an end to political dynasties.

The 1987 Constitution, specifically Section 26 of Article II, provides: "The State shall guarantee equal access to opportunities for public service and prohibit political dynaties as may be defined by law."

In 1995, a committee in the Senate had already approved a draft bill to this effect.

What happened? The House of Representatives, many of whose members  came from political families, threw the bill into the wastebasket.

Fast forward to 2015: A bill prohibiting political dynasties is gaining ground in the legislature.  

In the House of Representatives, Capiz Rep. Fredenil Castro, chairman of House  committee on suffrage and electoral reforms, is leading the charge.

Under the proposed bill, only two members of the same family or dynasty can occupy a national and local position.     

The bill also provides that a member of a political dynasty may run in a different province instead of the same area where a member of the family is already an incumbent official.

Another provision states that a candidate cannot run for a party-list seat if he is already disqualified from running for a congressional, gubernatorial or electoral position. This will ensure that the anti-political dynasty bill is not circumvented and the party-list system abused.

In other words, it can be one local and one national or two national positions.        At present, some dynasties have seven up to eight members of the same clan occupying seats of power.

One lawmaker is not in favor of the bill: she argues that we should not prevent members of the same family from serving in public office if  they are qualified.

Has she even read the Constitution?

That's the logic that has kept polticial dynasties in power and prevented other more qualified individuals from serving in public office.

      

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