UP Analyst Says Anti-Political Dynasty Bill, Voter Education Alone Won’t End Dynasties
By Tracy Cabrera
DILIMAN, Quezon City — A prominent political analyst from the University of the Philippines (UP) warned that the proposed House version of the anti-political dynasty bill is insufficient to address the entrenched influence of political dynasties in the country. She added that voter education, while important, is also not enough to curb the dominance of these powerful families.
UP Political Science Professor Jean Encinas-Franco explained that ending political dynasties requires more than merely restricting relatives from running for office. “Both voter education and prohibitions on family succession are limited because dynasties continue to hold sway over local communities,” she said.
Encinas-Franco noted that many Filipinos remain dependent on politicians for basic services, making education alone an ineffective solution. “The real solution is an efficient government that can provide social services directly. If citizens don’t have to queue or rely on politicians for aid, that’s the ideal scenario,” she said.
Data from the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ) shows that 113 out of 149 cities nationwide are effectively controlled by political dynasties. Many incumbents and their relatives are seeking reelection or higher office in the 2028 elections.
Among them is former President Rodrigo Duterte, currently serving a sentence in the Netherlands for crimes against humanity, who has declared his candidacy for mayor of Davao City. His son, Sebastian “Baste” Duterte, the city’s current mayor, is running as his vice mayor.
Meanwhile, Duterte’s daughter, Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio, who previously held the mayoral post in Davao, has announced her presidential bid.
Other prominent political families are also positioning themselves for the upcoming elections. Senator Erwin Tulfo’s brother Bienvenido “Ben” Tulfo may be running for a Senate seat again, while their elder brother Rafael “Raffy” Tulfo may also seek reelection as senator.
In Las Piñas, Camille Villar-Genuino is now a senator alongside her brother, Senator Mark Villar who may run again for senator while their mother, also a former senator, Cynthia Villar, may vie anew for a congressional seat in the city in the coming 2028 national elections.
The Villar family remains one of the wealthiest in the country, led by patriarch and former House Speaker and senator Manuel “Manny” Villar.
Encinas-Franco stressed that political dynasties are deeply entrenched in their communities. “They own businesses and provide social aid like scholarships. People naturally continue to vote for them because of these ties,” she said.
/elamigo
