EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
First Regular Sessio}i 
)
■ V1
i- IL :  ■
of t')r *  - I 'i r
S E N A T E
Senate Bill No. ^ _ 2 6 4
*19 
JUL-8 P2--24
RECEIVED ln '
Introduced by Senator FRANCIS N. PANGILINAN
AN ACT
DEFINING 
AND 
PROHIBITING 
POLITICAL 
DYNASTIES, 
PROVIDING 
PENALTIES THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Section 26, Article II of the Constitution provides that "The State shall guarantee equal 
access to opportunities for public sennce, and prohibit political dynasties as may be defined by 
lauK "
Three decades later and despite numerous attempts to enact such legislation, there 
is still no enabling law prohibiting political dynasties in the country. Thus, its existence, 
according to a study by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies,1 has 
undermined the checks and balances in government; weakened the competition in the 
political system, resulting in less access for alternative leaders to be part of the political 
arena; and perpetuated "personality-based politics" by prompting politicians to invest in 
their relatives. Data also show that dynasties are pervasive in the ten poorest provinces 
in the country.
Evidence from international experience indicate that there is much improvement in 
the democratic processes of countries that introduced anti-political dynasty reforms, with 
such laws helping to fortify the competitiveness of political participation, the openness 
and competitiveness of recruitment in the political leadership, and public participation 
in democracy through actual electoral performance of political parties and voter turnout.2
Hence, this measure seeks to define and prohibit political dynasties as mandated by 
the Constitution. It is high time for Congress to put an end to the current exclusionary 
type of political leadership and open the electoral playing field to more of our citizens in 
order to improve the country's democratic proces.ses.
The urgent passage of this bill is earnestly sought.
FRANCISTNCRANGILINAN
Albert, Mendoza, et al. (2015). Regulating Political Dynasties Toward a More Inclusive Society. PIDS 
Policy Notes, No. 2015-14 (August 2015).
Ibid.


EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
First Regular Session 
)
S E N A T E
Senate Bill No.
264
•y.k
of l.if 
'..i-l u  r
*19 
JUL-8 P2--24
fECEIVf D b-ft e
Introduced by Senator FRANCIS N. PANGILINAN
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AN ACT
DEFINING 
AND 
PROHIBITING 
POLITICAL 
DYNASTIES, 
PROVIDING 
PENALTIES THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled:
SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Anti-Political Dynasty 
Act of 2019."
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is hereby declared the policy of the State to 
guarantee and provide equal access to opportunities for public office and public service 
to any qualified Filipino, pursuant to Section 26, Article II of the 1987 Constitution. 
Towards this end, it is hereby declared the policy of the State to prohibit political 
dynasties as hereinafter defined.
SEC. 3. Definition of Terms. - For purposes of this Act, the following definitions 
shall be used:
(a) "National office" shall refer to the Presidency, the Vice-Presidency, the Senate 
of the Philippines, or the House of Representatives;
(b) "Political dynasty" shall refer to the concentration, consolidation and/or 
perpetuation of public office and political powers by persons related to one another 
within the second degree of consanguinity or affinity;
(c) "Political dynasty relationship" shall exist when the spouse or any relative 
within the second degree of consanguinity or affinity of an incumbent elective official, 
runs for public office to succeed or replace the incumbent, or runs for or holds any elective
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local office simultaneously with the incumbent within the same province, legislative
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district, city, or municipality, and within the same barangay or barangays within the
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same legislative district.
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The relationship also exists if the incumbent is a national elective official,
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including incumbents in the party-list system, and the spouse or relatives within the
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second degree of consanguinity or affinity run for any position in the national level or in
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the local level as barangay captain, mayor, governor, or district representative in any part
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of the country.
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It shall also be deemed to exist where two (2) or more persons who are spouses,
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or are related to one another within the second degree of consanguinity or affinity run
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simultaneously for elective public office at the national level, or at the local level within
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the same province, legislative district, city, or municipality, and within the same
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barangay or barangays within the same legislative district, even if neither is so related to
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an incumbent elective official.
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(d) "Spouse" shall refer to the legal or common-law wife or husband of an
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incumbent official;
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(e) "Second civil degree of consanguinity or affinity" shall refer to the relatives of a
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person who may be the latter's brother or sister, whether of full or half-blood, direct
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ascendant or direct descendant, whether legitimate, illegitimate, or adopted, including
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their spouses; and
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(f) "Running for an elective office" shall be deemed to commence upon the filing of
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the Certificate of Candidacy by a candidate with the Commission on Elections
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(COMELEC).
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SEC. 4. Applicability. - This Act shall govern and be applicable to the next elections
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and all subsequent elections thereafter.


SEC. 5. Prohibited Candidates; Scenarios Covered. -
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(a) Any person with a political dynasty relationship, as defined in Section 3 of this 
Act, with any incumbent elective official, shall not be allowed to run for or hold public 
office in any of the following manner:
i. 
To immediately succeed or replace the said incumbent;
ii. 
If the incumbent is an elective barangay official, the spouse and the above 
relatives are prohibited to run simultaneously for any position in the same 
barangay as well as in all the barangays in municipalities or cities within 
the same legislative district;
iii. 
If the incumbent is an elective official of the municipality, city, legislative 
district, or province, the spouse and above relatives are prohibited to run 
for or hold any elective local office simultaneously with the incumbent 
within the same barangay, municipality, city, legislative district, or 
province;
iv. 
If the incumbent is a national elective official, the spouse and the above 
relatives are likewise prohibited to run simultaneously for any position in 
the national or local level as barangay captain, mayor, governor, or district 
representative in any part of the country; and
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If the incumbent is a barangay captain, mayor, governor, or district 
representative, the spouse and the above relatives are also prohibited to run 
simultaneously for any position in the national level.
(b) Persons who are not holding any public office shall likewise be prohibited 
from running in the same election if their election will result in a political 
dynasty relationship, as defined in Section 3 above: Provided, That if persons 
within the same prohibitive degree shall file for candidacy, the said persons 
shall be notified by the COMELEC that only one of them shall be allowed to 
file, and within five (5) days from receipt of the notice, said persons shall file a


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joint manifestation to the COMELEC indicating the name of the candidate who
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shall pursue his or her candidacy and the position desired, otherwise all
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applications shall be deemed not filed.
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A person is deemed to be holding an elective office from the moment the public
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official takes his oath of office.
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SEC. 6. Statement with the Commission on Elections. - Any person running for an
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elective public office shall file a sworn statement with the COMELEC that he or she does
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not have a political dynasty relationship prohibited under this Act.
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SEC. 7. Denial Motu Proprio by the COMELEC/Petition to Deny Due Course author
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Cancel Certificate of Candidacy. - The COMELEC, motu proprio, may suspend giving due
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course to the application for a certificate of candidacy of any candidate if it becomes
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apparent from the documents filed that a violation of Section 5 of this Act may have been
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committed. If, upon investigation by the COMELEC, there is substantial evidence to
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establish a violation of Section 5 of this Act, the COMELEC shall deny due course to said
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application for a certificate of candidacy.
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A verified petition seeking to deny due course or to cancel a certificate of candidacy
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may be filed by any person for violation of this Act.
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SEC. 8. Summary Proceedings. - The petition may be filed at any time not later than
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twenty-five (25) days from the time of the filing of the certificate of candidacy and shall
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be decided, after due notice and hearing, not less than fifteen (15) days before the election.
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The petition shall be heard and decided summarily by the COMELEC, after due notice
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and hearing, and the decision shall be executed after the lapse of five (5) days from receipt
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thereof by the losing party.
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If the petition, for reasons beyond the control of the COMELEC, cannot be decided
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before the completion of the canvass, the votes cast for the respondent shall be included
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in the counting and canvassing: Provided, That in cases where a disqualified candidate


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has been proclaimed, he or she shall forfeit his or her right to the office upon the decision
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of the COMELEC, as the case may be.
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SEC. 9. Petition for Quo Warranto. - A voter contesting the election of any
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candidate on the grounds of violation of this Act shall file a sworn petition for quo
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warranto with the COMELEC or House Electoral Tribunal, Senate Electoral Tribual, or
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Presidential Electoral Tribunal, as the case may be, within ten (10) days after the
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proclamation of the results of the election.
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SEC. 10. Rules and Regulations. - The COMELEC shall promulgate all the rules and
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regulations necessary for the full implementation of this Act.
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SEC. 11. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act is declared invalid or
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unconstitutional, the other provisions not affected by such declaration shall remain in full
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force and effect.
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SEC. 12. Repealutg Clause. - All laws, executive orders, administrative orders, and 
rules and regulations inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed or amended 
accordingly.
SEC. 13. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
complete publication in the Official Gazette or in two (2) newspapers of general 
circulation.
Approved,