#AnimatED: Congress should pass anti-dynasty bill

Rappler.com

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#AnimatED: Congress should pass anti-dynasty bill
The Philippines cannot afford to miss this opportunity to reform its dinosaur politics

For the first time in 27 years, the anti-dynasty bill reached the plenary in the House of Representatives May last year. It was a historic moment, the beginning of floor deliberations in an institution where 70% of its members belong to political clans.

President Aquino gave this bill a much-needed push when he declared it a priority in his last State of the Nation address. 

Expectedly, the bill is being whittled down. As it is, the anti-dynasty measure prohibits 2 or more relatives (up to the second degree of consanguinity) to hold or run for both national and local office in “successive, simultaneous, or overlapping terms.” It also prohibits relatives from running at the same time even if they are not related to an incumbent official.

The controversial measure is shifting shape into a less rigorous one. There seems to be an emerging consensus to allow up to two members of a political clan to hold public office at the same time.

Fredenil Castro, chairman of the committee on suffrage and electoral reforms and in charge of shepherding the bill through the House, said these politicians “could either both hold national positions, local positions, or a combination of a national and a local position.” There was also a “consensus to allow relatives to run for office in different provinces or districts.” (Listen to the Inside Track podcast with Rep Fredenil Castro)

The Senate version, principally authored by Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III, is much more strict: it allows only one member of a family to run for office in all levels, from the barangay to the highest office in the land.

Both chambers should eventually convene to thresh out their differences. Time, however, is not on their side.

If Congress fails to pass the anti-dynasty bill, the country will have missed an opportunity to reform its dinosaur politics. A study shows that political dynasties are more prevalent in the Philippines than in other parts of the world. According to the Asian Institute of Management Policy Center, 6% of US legislators are dynastic; 10% in Argentina; 22% in Ireland; 33% in Japan; and 40% in Mexico. The Philippines? A whopping 70%!

Dynasties are also among the factors that stunt growth, argues economist Cielito Habito: “Evidence points to a direct association between the presence of political dynasties and higher levels of poverty.”

Politicians who do not perpetuate themselves and their families in power are outliers. We need to remember them, the few whom we can hold up as examples.

One stands out, the late Jesse Robredo, who died 3 years ago today.

He said in an interview, “In 1998, I could have run for congressman, and probably I could have won. My wife could have been the mayor of the city. We told everyone that this is the last local election that a Robredo will run for mayorship of the City at least, in my lifetime, or probably in my generation.”

This is a life lesson that the anti-dynasty bill can institutionalize. – Rappler.com

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