Senator Risa Hontiveros, chair of the Senate Committee on Electoral Reforms, said the upper chamber aims to pass the Anti-Political Dynasty Bill by March.
In a report by RH 28 Raymund Dadpaas on Friday, Hontiveros announced in the middle of the consultation held in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental, this morning.
The lawmaker said she wants the limitation to apply until the fourth degree of consanguinity, while other senators have proposed a limitation until the second and third degrees for practicality and to give the bill a greater chance of approval.
A number of local officials in Bacolod, who are members of political dynasties, served as panelists during the consultation and vowed to observe the bill should it be signed into law.
Hontiveros stressed that the Anti-Dynasty Bill does not target any specific family. Rather, it aims to broaden participation in politics to more individuals.
“As we have said, several have said, this bill is not against any family. It is about widening the democratic space. It is about making sure that leadership is open to even more Negrenses, to even more Filipinos, not just a few names or few families,” she said.
Numerous sectors have backed the passing of the bill, particularly the labor sector. According to Priscilla Inday Goco of the Partido ng Manggagawa, all sorts of dynasties can be found in Negros, with some clans leading certain government agencies as well. The group believes this is among the reasons for the persistent poverty in their area.
“Sa Negros, you name it, we have it, kung anong klaseng mga dinastiya iyan. Mayroong fat, mayroong thin… may sinasabi na silang ‘obese’ dynasty kasi hindi lang sa mga posisyon sa eleksyon, kundi pati sa mga posisyon sa mga departamento,” Goco said.
“So hindi po kami kakaiba sa ibang bayan o probinsya sa Pilipinas—pinaghahati-hatian, ipinapamana na parang hacienda o negosyo lang ang posisyon sa pulitika,” she added.
The bill is among the Palace’s priority measures, as listed by the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC).
