Metro Manila, Philippines – An anti-political dynasty coalition launched a website on Wednesday, Sept. 30, where voters can sign a measure strictly prohibiting political dynasties.
Led by convenor and retired Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio, the launch followed the “Dapat Isa Lang” group’s nationwide physical signature campaign that began in May through a constitutional people’s initiative to enact a law and proceed to a national referendum.
The campaign seeks to ban political families within the fourth civil degree of consanguinity or affinity from occupying multiple government seats. Current bills in Congress limit the prohibition only to the second degree.
The group said signing the petition on the D1L.org website will only take around three minutes. The online form will require participants to input personal information, a photo of their handwritten signature, and a selfie holding their signature cards.
Registered voters who will sign the petition will be tagged as co-petitioners of the measure.
Dapat Isa Lang convenor Eirene Aguila said they launched a vehicle “to breathe life” into a constitutional power that has been waiting to be exercised meaningfully.
The Supreme Court ruled unanimously on Sept. 16 that the charter’s provision restricting political families is a mandate to fulfill, and Congress’s failure to enact an enabling law for 39 years is a possible “grave abuse of discretion”.
Aguila said the people’s initiative is a mechanism that allows the people to directly participate in proposing and enacting laws by themselves. To proceed to a national referendum, as provided in Republic Act 6735, the petition will require the verified signatures of at least 10 percent of the country’s total registered voters, with at least 3 percent representation from every legislative district.
“So what happens when our representatives (in Congress) will not act? We will not remain silent—the people will act,” Aguila said.
“Hindi ito loophole at lalong hindi ito rebelyon [This is not a loophole, and this is especially not a rebellion]. It is democracy in its most direct, most peaceful in constitutional form,” she added.
Recalling the coalition’s efforts across the country in the past four months, Karlo Abadines, executive director of Jesuit-led Simbahang Lingkod ng Bayan, noted that thousands of people strongly expressed support for the campaign.
“We had the opportunity to go around the country, conducting dozens and dozens of orientations, forums, [and] discussions—reaching thousands of students, teachers, parishioners, [and] Filipino citizens in this country, many of whom expressed their excitement to join the campaign that will finally break the hold and monopoly of political dynasties in their locality and nationally,” Abadines said.
Aguila recognized an inevitable resistance from political clans who will be affected, but said the pushbacks will not deter the movement.
“Uncertainty is definitely not a reason to abandon a constitutional right. A right of the people too afraid to be exercised is a right surrendered. And today, we choose not to surrender,” Aguila said.
The coalition targets to collect around seven million signatures to proceed to a referendum by 2027.
RELATED STORY: https://www.newswatchplus.ph/2026/09/29/the-race-to-pass-an-anti-dynasty-law/
