URGING
CONGRESS TO IMMEDIATELY PASS
AN
ANTI-POLITICAL DYNASTY LAW
Dynasties are threats to democracy
Acknowledging that political dynasties threaten the country's
democratic ideals, the framers of the 1987 Constitution tasked government to
guard our reacquired democracy by declaring that “The State shall guarantee
equal access to opportunities for public service and prohibit political
dynasties as may be defined by law” (Article II, Sec. 26).
Unfortunately, 27 years since the constitutional ratification and
several governments after, a law has yet to be passed prohibiting political
dynasties, which according to Supreme Court Justice Antonio Carpio (in a
decision on the Navarro v. Ermita case) described it as a “phenomenon that
concentrates political power and public resources within the control of a few
families whose members alternately hold elective offices, deftly skirting term
limits.”
The Asian Institute of Management (AIM) analyzed the 2013 midterm
elections and dynasties in its research paper “The 2013 Philippine Mid-Term
Election: An Empirical Analysis of Dynasties, Vote Buying and the Correlates of
Senate Votes”, and asserts that “political dynasties refer to members of the
same family occupying elected positions either in sequence for the same
position, or simultaneously across different positions.”
Dynasties monopolize politics and
public service
It is no surprise that an anti-dynasty law was never passed, given
the fact that past and present Congresses were dominated by district representatives
and senators coming from political dynasties. Even major political parties are
dominated by political dynasties. From the 8th Congress in 1987 to the 12th
Congress, almost the same political dynasties controlled the Lower House,
winning almost 62% of the seats. The onslaught of political dynasties continues
unhampered, with its hold increasing to 70% of Congress.
Dynasties monopolize local
economies too
Monopolizing the political arena is not only adverse effect of
dynasties. The AIM research also showed how numbers of political dynasties increase
in areas where incidents of poverty are high and human development low. Wealth
of dynasties increased when there are few non-dynastic politicians in their
jurisdiction, showing a clear correlation between monopoly of politics and of
the local economy.
Dynasties are consolidating
Political dynasties are conscious of keeping power within the
family, and as such are training younger members of their family to become
heirs to the throne, shown by the fact that 80% of district representatives are
aged 26 to 40 years old. Dynasties are forward looking to further entrench and
consolidate their hold on local and national politics.
Dynasties must end
Political dynasties are today a tremendous threat to genuine
democracy, and a great hindrance against attaining inclusive economic
development. KOMPRe (Koalisyon ng Mamamayan ng Para sa Reporma) calls on this Congress
to fulfill the task laid down by the Constitutional Commission -- to enact a
law now prohibiting political dynasties and providing equal access to opportunities
for public service.
Under normal circumstances, there would not be a need to enact such
a law. But current conditions are far from being normal, as recent trends show
that instead of democratizing, our country is “monarchizing” because of the
political dynasty phenomenon. To ensure that an anti-dynasty law will lead to the
democracy envisioned, KOMPRe believes that the existing political party system
must also be reformed as well.
Anti-dynasty Law Now
For the first time in 27 years, a bill prohibiting political
dynasties has reached the Lower House plenary for debate. Another version of
the same law is also being discussed in the Senate.
KOMPRe challenges both chambers of Congress to pass the law by the
end of the present term. KOMPRe calls on the Executive to exhaust all possible
means to pressure Congress in passing the anti-dynasty bill in whatever form
that would limit the stranglehold of political dynasties.
KOMPRe urges the electorate to pressure their district
representatives in supporting the anti-dynasty law. Only through a united stand
against political dynasties can we fulfill the task laid down by the framers of
our constitution, and begin to build a truly genuine democracy that will result
in inclusive development for all.
#No2PolDynasty #Yes2Democracy
