Public office may soon cease to become a birthright.
Baguio Representative Mauricio Domogan filed House Bill No. 6064, the “Anti-Political Dynasty Act,” seeking to end a systemic abuse of power in the country.
“This bill seeks to finally give life to the constitutional prohibition by defining and regulating political dynasties, ensuring equal access to public service, and restoring genuine political competition. It prohibits simultaneous holding and immediate succession of elective positions within families up to the second degree of consanguinity or affinity and empowers the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) to enforce these rules,” Domogan said.
The HB, filed on November 17, targets the entrenched system where power is concentrated within a few prominent families, a practice the 1987 Constitution mandated Congress to prohibit under Section 26, Article II.
Domogan said, “Almost four decades since the ratification of the Constitution, Congress has yet to pass an enabling law to enforce this mandate. The absence of such legislation has allowed the entrenchment of political dynasties in both the national and local levels, resulting in the concentration of power within families, reduced political competition, and the weakening of democratic accountability.”
Domogan also said the absence of legislation has allowed the “entrenchment of political dynasties” leading to “reduced political competition, and the weakening of democratic accountability.” For critics, this concentration has stifled meritocracy, allowing family name and wealth—not public service—to dictate leadership.
The vote for the HB will test the mettle of the 20th Congress and determine whether the promise of equal opportunity in public service becomes a reality.
The proposed legislation defines a “Political Dynasty Relationship” with clear boundaries. It restricts spouses and relatives up to the second civil degree of consanguinity or affinity—a grouping that includes siblings, parents, and children—from simultaneously holding or running for elective office within the same province, city, or municipality. Critically, it also prohibits immediate succession, preventing a retiring official from simply handing the post to a close family member. This move is designed to inject genuine political competition back into local and national races.
To enforce the shift, HB 6064 grants the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) sweeping new powers. The poll body can now, motu proprio (on its own initiative), deny due course to any certificate of candidacy that violates the Act.
The Domogan bill may govern the next elections, ushering in a future where leadership is based on merit, not bloodline. Maria Elena Catajan