Metro Manila, Philippines – The changing political climate and growing public demand for accountability pushed President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to throw his support behind an anti-political dynasty bill, Malacañang said Wednesday, reversing a campaign remark in 2022.
In a press briefing, Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro defended Marcos’ decision against certifying the bill as urgent despite identifying it as a priority legislation with the proposed Independent People’s Commission, Party-List System Reform Act, and the CADENA transparency measure.
“Unang-una po ito ay Congress at Executive na priority bills… malinaw ang mensahe ng pangulo,” Castro said.
[Translation: First of all, these are priority bills of both Congress and the Executive… the president’s message is clear.]
She noted that the Constitution limits urgent certification to measures related to public emergency or calamity.
“Hindi naman ibig pong sabihin na sinertify as urgent ang isang bill ay hindi na po sinsero ang pangulo,” she added.
[Translation: It doesn’t mean that if a bill is not certified as urgent, the president was insincere.]
A number of lawmakers, including party-list Reps. Leila de Lima and Chel Diokno, earlier questioned the lack of presidential certification of the bills if Marcos was committed to their passage.
Shift in position
Castro said the president’s change of stance on political dynasties reflects the current political realities. Marcos said in the 2022 campaign that political dynasties were not inherently harmful if voters chose their leaders freely.
“Naiiba na po iyong political landscape. Nakikita natin na mayroong mga umabuso na politiko… Public demands a fairer system,” Castro said.
[Translation: The political landscape has changed. We see politicians who have abused power… The public demands a fairer system.]
She said Marcos now wants to strengthen voter power over entrenched political families.
“Ang nais ng pangulo na ang taumbayan ay makapamili ng liderato nang naaayon sa merito at hindi sa apelyido,” she said.
[Translation: The president wants people to choose leaders based on merit, not on family names.]
Asked what specifically changed the president’s mind, Castro reiterated: “Nagbabago ang political landscape, maraming umaabuso.”
[Translation: The political landscape is changing; many are abusing (the system).]
The administration’s push comes after Tuesday’s Legislative Executive Development Advisory Council meeting, where Marcos asked congressional leaders to prioritize four reform bills:
- Anti-Dynasty
- Independent People’s Commission
- Party-List System Reform
- Citizens Access and Disclosure of Expenditures for National Accountability (CADENA) Act
The anti-dynasty measure would give flesh to the 1987 Constitution’s prohibition on political dynasties, although Congress has long struggled to agree on defining familial restrictions. Competing House and Senate bills propose limits ranging from the second to the fourth degree of consanguinity.
Marcos has also cited the need to reform the party-list system, noting that more than half of accredited groups are linked to political clans.
