TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session
)
SENATE 
S. No. 18
25 JUL-2 P4:29
Introduced by Senator Robinhood Padilla
AN ACT
DEFINING AND PROHIBITING POLITICAL DYNASTIES, PROVIDING 
PENALTIES THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
EXPLANATORY NOTE
A Harvard Academy research study in 2011 highlights how political dynasties 
become a product of the tendency of elites to persist and reproduce their power over 
time, undermining the effectiveness of institutional reforms in the process.
Based on an extensive dataset of our local elections from 1988 to 2025, 
evidence demonstrates that the number of governors with at least one relative in 
office (dynasty) increased by almost 46 percentage points, from 41% in 1988 to 87% 
in 2025. The dynasty proportion of vice governors rose from 18% in 1988 to 72% in 
2025. Officials from municipalities and cities are not immune to this tendency. The 
percentage of mayors in the dynasty increased gradually from 26% in 1988 to 53% 
in 2019. Only municipal and city councilors have kept their dynasty share below 25% 
since 1987. The dynasty share for councilors had only increased from 23% in 2019 to 
around 27% in 2025.
Tusalem and Pe-Aguirre's (2013) study noted that while congressional funds 
are higher in areas with more political dynasties, these provinces also have higher 
rates of crime and poor governance, as well as lower spending on employment, 
infrastructure, and health care. Political dynasties, in effect, have exhausted resources


to attain economic and political dominance while at the same time compromising 
political competition and undermining accountability.
Calls to stop the monopoly of political power remain unyielding. It is time to 
break the barriers preventing the best and the brightest from serving the Filipino 
people.
Looking at the political, social, and economic impact of political dynasties, it is 
undeniable that the framers of our Constitution missed the opportunity to define it 
and embody the same in our Constitution. To merely state our policy against political 
dynasties and leave it to Congress to pass an enacting law to breathe life into it is 
futile since members of the Legislature come from political dynasties.
Given that this measure complies with the legislature's mandate to enact an 
anti-political dynasty law and is a step towards leveling the playing field in politics and 
governance, the passage thereof is earnestly sought.
HOOD PADILLA
Senator


TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE 
)
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
First Regular Session 
)
■ i I ( l!
SENATE 
S. No. 18
25 JUL-2 P4:29
Introduced by Senator Robinhood Padilla
AN ACT
DEFINING AND PROHIBITING POLITICAL DYNASTIES, PROVIDING 
PENALTIES THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled:
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Section 1. Short Title. -This Act shall be known as "The Anti-Political Dynasty
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Law."
Sec. 2. Definition of Terms. - The following terms, as used herein shall mean:
a. Political Dynasty refers to the concentration, consolidation, or 
perpetuation of political powers by persons related to one another;
b. Political Dynasty Relationship refers to the situation where a person who 
is the spouse or a relative within the fourth civil degree of consanguinity 
or affinity of an incumbent elective official holds or runs for an elective 
office simultaneously with the incumbent elective official within the same 
city and/or province, or as party-list nominee, or occupies the same 
office immediately after the term of office of the incumbent elective 
official;
A political dynasty relationship shall also be deemed to exist where two 
(2) or more persons who are spouses or related to one another within 
the fourth civil degree of consanguinity or affinity run simultaneously for


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elective public office within the same city and/or province, or as
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nominees to any party-list, even if neither is so related to the incumbent
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elective official;
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c. Fourth Civil Degree of Consanguinity or Affinity refers to the relationship
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between two people who descend from a common ancestor and are four
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steps, or degrees, apart on a consanguinity chart, whether legitimate or
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illegitimate, full or half blood, including their spouses;
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d. Spouse refers to the legal or common-law wife or husband of an
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incumbent elective official or candidate;
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e. Term Limits refers to the maximum term limits for elected public officials
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as provided for in the Constitution;
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f. Running for an Elective Office refers to the period that commences upon
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the filing of the certificate of candidacy by a candidate with the
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Commission on Elections (COMELEC); and
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g. Holding an Elective Office refers to the period that commences from the
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moment the public official takes his or her oath of office.
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Sec. 3. Applicability. - This Act shall apply to the next elections and all
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subsequent elections thereafter. In the case of incumbent elected officials who have
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political dynasty relationships with one another in the same city and/or province, they
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shall be allowed to run in all subsequent elections until they reach their term limit as
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provided by law.
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Sec. 4. Persons Covered; Prohibited Candidates. - No spouse or person related
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within the fourth degree of consanguinity or affinity, whether legitimate or illegitimate,
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full or half blood, to an incumbent elective official seeking re-election, shall be allowed
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to hold or run for any elective office in the same city and/or province, or any party list
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in the same election.
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In case the constituency of the incumbent elective official is national in
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character, the above relatives shall be disqualified from running only within the same


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city and/or province where the former is domiciled or in any, including the same,
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national position.
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In the case of candidates who are not holding any public office but are within
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the fourth degree of consanguinity or affinity and their election will result in a political
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dynasty relationship, the same is likewise prohibited. Provided, however, that the bona
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fide certificate of candidacy that was first filed will be recognized.
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In all cases, no person who has a political dynasty relationship to the incumbent
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shall immediately succeed to the position of the latter.
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Sec. 5. Statement with the Commission on Eiections. - Any person running for
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any elective public office shall file a sworn statement with the COMELEC that he or
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she is not among the prohibited candidates mentioned in the preceding section.
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Sec. 6. Period for Fiiing of Petition for Disquaiification. - A petition to disqualify
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a candidate on the grounds provided under this Act may be filed by any citizen of
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voting age, candidate, or duly registered political party organization, or coalition of
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political parties with the COMELEC at any time after the last day for filing certificates
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of candidacy and before proclamation.
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Sec. 7. Summary Proceedings. - The petition shall be heard and decided
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summarily by the COMELEC, after due notice and hearing, and its decision shall
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become executory five (5) days after receipt thereof by the losing party.
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Sec. 8. Effect of Vioiation of Prohibition. - The COMELEC shall, motu propio or
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upon the filing of a verified petition by any interested party, deny due course to any
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certificate of candidacy filed in violation of this Act, and the votes cast for the
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disqualified candidate, if any, shall not be counted nor shall such candidate be
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proclaimed nor be qualified to assume office.
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Violation of this Act and the rules and regulations of the COMELEC issued to
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implement this Act shall also constitute an election offense punishable under the first
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and second paragraphs of Section 264 of the Omnibus Election Code (Batas Pambansa
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Big. 881)


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Sec. 9. Effect of Petition If Unresoived Before Compietion of Canvass. - If the
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petition, for reasons beyond the control of the COMELEC cannot be decided before
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the completion of the canvass, the votes cast for the respondent shall be included In
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the counting and canvassing: Provided, however, that if the basis for such
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disqualification is strong, his or her proclamation shall be suspended notwithstanding
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the fact that he or she received the winning number of votes in the election. In case
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where the disqualified candidate has been proclaimed, the candidate shall ipso facto
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forfeit the right to assume the office.
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Sec. 10. Rules and Regulations. The Commission on Elections shall, within thirty
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(30) days after the effectivity of this Act, promulgate the necessary rules and
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regulations for the effective implementation of this Act.
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Sec. 11. Separability Clause. If any part of this Act is held invalid or
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unconstitutional, the other parts or provisions thereof shall remain valid and effective.
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Sec. 12. Repealing Clause. All laws, orders, issuances, rules and regulations or
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part thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed, modified
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or amended accordingly.
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Sec. 13. Effectivity Clause. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
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publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.
Approved,