Marcos pushes anti-dynasty, Independent People’s Commission bills to Congress
President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. has pushed Congress to prioritize the speedy passage of four legislative measures, including the anti-dynasty bill.
Palace press officer Undersecretary Claire Castro said that during the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 9, the president directed both houses to "take a closer look at the four bills and prioritize the passage as soon as possible," namely:
- Anti-Dynasty Act, which aims to provide equal access to public service by prohibiting spouses or relatives from running for office simultaneously within the same city or province. This also aims to "restore fairness in our electoral system, strengthen public institutions, and ensure that leadership in government is determined not by birth or inherited political machinery," per Sen. Risa Hontiveros' Konta Dinastiya Act.
- Party-list System Reform Act, which would have stronger safeguards to ensure that representatives truly serve the underrepresented sectors, and to help stop corruption.
- Independent People's Commission Act, which seeks to investigate anomalies in all government infrastructure projects: planning, procurement, implementation, whether undertaken by national agencies, local government units, or government‑owned corporations, through an independent body.
- Citizens Access and Disclosure of Expenditures for National Accountability or CADENA Act, which aims to institutionalize transparency and accountability in public finance.
Present at the LEDAC meeting were Senate President Vicente Sotto III, House Speaker Faustino Dy III, presidential son and Majority Leader Sandro Marcos, and other congressional leaders.
Castro added that Marcos and congressional leaders have also “agreed on the timelines” for the passage of the proposed 2026 budget and the submission of the bill for Marcos' signature.
The Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism reported that there are at least 18 political dynasties that have five or more members in public office who were elected in the May 2025 polls.
The Marcos clan is one of the most influential political families, whose bailiwick is Ilocos Norte. Other than Sandro, the president's sister, Imee, currently sits as a senator, while his cousin, Martin Romualdez, is a member of the House of Representatives, among others. His father, the late Marcos Sr., was a strongman and held the presidency for over 20 years.
This came after advocates had pushed for an anti-dynasty bill. The Anti-Dynasty Network on Dec. 8 called for the enactment of the bill, wherein they laid out rules, such as prohibiting a family member from succeeding an incumbent in any elective office. This rule extends to relatives within the fourth civil degree of consanguinity or affinity. The statement was signed by public servants and professionals bearing political names, including Pasig Mayor Vico Sotto, Aika Robredo, and Francis Aquino Dee.
