EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session
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SENATE
S. B. No. 
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TIME
INDEX
Introduced by SENATOR FRANKLIN M. DRILON
AN ACT
PROHIBITING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF POLITICAL DYNASTIES
EXPLANATORY NOTE
No less than the Constitution mandates the State to "guarantee equal access to 
public service and prohibit political dynasty as may be defined by law." Such policy 
seeks to level the playing field in the political arena pursuant to cornerstone of our 
country's governmental ideology-democracy.
Apart from democratizing the election process, this constitutional safeguard 
ensures an unhampered economic progress in the country. A string of literature has 
shown a causal relationship between dynastic concentration and the standard of living 
among the constituents. Research found dynastic concentration to have a significantly 
negative effect on the upliftment of local living standards, noting that lack of real 
political competition leads to flawed policies.1
After almost thirty years, this laudable intent of the constitutional framers 
unfortunately remains merely an intent as attempts to breathe life into this provision 
have been unsucessful. Thus, this bill aims to implement the state policy against the 
establishment of political dynasty. We acknowledge that in the previous Congress, 
Senators Jose Victor G. Ejercito and Miriam Defensor Santiago filed this proposed 
measure.
Hence, the immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought.
FRAN (LIN M. DR


EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session
)
SENATE
S. B. No. 
11
cxjm
BILLS
NDEX
Introduced by SENATOR FRANKLIN M. DRILON
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AN ACT
PROHIBITING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF POLITICAL DYNASTIES
Be it enacted by the Senate and House o f Representatives o f the Philippines in 
Congress assembled:
SECTION 1. Title. - This Act shall be known as 'The Anti-Political Dynasty
Act".
SEC. 2. Declaration o f Policy. - It is hereby declared the policy of the State 
to guarantee equal access and opportunity to public office and service to the public. 
Towards this end, it is likewise declared the policy of the State to prohibit political 
dynasties as hereinafter defined.
SEC. 3. Definition o f Terms. - For the purposes of this Act, the following
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definitions shall be used:
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(a) "Political Dynasty" - the concentration, consolidation or perpetuation of 
public office and political power by persons related to one another.
(b) "Political Dynasty Relationship" - exists when a person who is the spouse 
of an incumbent elective official or a relative within the second 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 occupies the same office 
immediately after the term of office of the incumbent elective official. A 
political dynasty shall also be deemed to exist where two (2) or more 
persons who are spouses or are related within the second civil degree of


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consanguinity or affinity run simultaneously for elective public office
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within the same city and/or province, even if neither is so related to an
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incumbent elective official.
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(c) 
"Spouse" - the legal or common law wife or husband of the incumbent
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elective official.
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(d) "Second Civil Degree of Consanguinity or Affinity" - includes the relatives
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of a person who may be the latter's brother or sister, direct ascendant or
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direct descendant, whether legitimate or illegitimate, full or half blood,
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including their spouses.
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(e) "Term Limits" - the maximum term limits for elected public officials as
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provided for in the Constitution.
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(f) 
"Running for an Elective Office" -  deemed to commence upon the filing
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of the certificate of candidacy by a candidate with the Commission on
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Elections (COMELEC).
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(g) "Holding an Elective Office" -  deemed to commence from the moment
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the public official takes his or her oath of office.
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SEC. 4. Applicability. - This Act shall govern and be applicable to the next
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elections and to all subsequent elections thereafter.
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SEC. 5. Persons Covered; Prohibited Candidates. - No spouse, or
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person related within the second degree of consanguinity or affinity, whether
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legitimate or illegitimate, full or half blood, to an incumbent elective official seeking
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re-election shall be allowed to hold or run for any elective office in the same
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province 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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province where the former is a registered voter.
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In case where none of the candidates is related to an incumbent elective
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official within the second degree of consanguinity or affinity, but are related to one
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another within the said prohibited degree, they, including their spouses, shall be
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disqualified from holding or running for any local elective office within the same
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province in the same election.


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In all cases, no person within the prohibited civil degree of relationship to the
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incumbent shall immediately succeed to the position of the la 
tter.
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SEC. 6. Statement w ith the Commission on Elections. -  Any person
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running for any elective public office shall file a sworn statement with the COMELEC
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that he or she does not have a political dynasty relationship with an incumbent
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elective official running for an elective public office in the same city and/or province
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other than that of the position earlier mentioned.
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SEC. 7. Effect o f Violation o f the Prohibition. - The COMELEC shall, motu
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propio or upon verified petition of 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 and deemed not counted nor
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shall such candidate be proclaimed nor be qualified to assume office.
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SEC. 8. Period fo r Filing Petition fo r Disqualification. -  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 may file with the COMELEC, after the last day for filing of certificates
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of candidacy and before proclamation, a petition to disqualify a candidate on
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grounds provided for under Section 5 hereof.
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In the event a candidate disqualified under this Act shall have been
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proclaimed and has assumed office, his or her political dynasty relationship shall be
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a ground for disqualification in appropriate quo warranto or other proceedings.
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SEC. 9. 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 be
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executory after the lapse of five (5) days from receipt thereof by the losing party.
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SEC. 10. Effect o f Petition i f  Unresolved Before Completion o f
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Canvass. - If the petition, for reasons beyond the control of the COMELEC, cannot
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be decided before the completion of the canvass, the votes cast for the respondent
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shall be included in the counting and canvassing: Provided further, that in cases
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where disqualified candidate has been proclaimed he or she shall forfeit his or her
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right to the office upon the decision of the COMELEC, as the case maybe.


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SEC. 11. Im plem enting Rules and Regulation. - The COMELEC shall
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promulgate the rules and regulation for the implementation of the provisions of this
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Act.
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SEC. 12. Repealing Clause. - All laws inconsistent with the provisions of
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this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.
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SEC. 13. Separability Clause. - If any of the sections or provisions of this
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Act is held invalid, all the other provisions not affected thereby shall remain valid.
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SEC. 14. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days
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from the date of its publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation 
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in the Philippines.
Approved,