Photo credit: Congress PH

The House of Representatives has taken a major step toward one of the country's longest-awaited political reforms after approving the proposed Anti-Political Dynasty Act on final reading.

Lawmakers led by Speaker of the House Faustino Dy III hailed the measure as a landmark move aimed at broadening political participation and preventing the concentration of power among a few influential families.

The bill seeks to finally implement a provision of the 1987 Constitution, which directs the State to prohibit political dynasties as may be defined by law. Nearly four decades later, Congress has yet to pass an enabling law, allowing political clans to remain a dominant force in national and local politics.

In a statement following the vote, Dy described the measure as a significant democratic reform and the fulfillment of a constitutional mandate that previous Congresses had failed to enact.

Supporters of the bill argue that political dynasties have long limited opportunities for new leaders to enter public service, particularly in provinces and cities where elective positions are often held by members of the same family. They say the measure would encourage greater political competition and give voters a wider range of choices during elections.

The House approval comes after months of public consultations conducted across Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. Lawmakers said the hearings helped shape a version of the bill that balances the constitutional right of Filipinos to seek public office with efforts to prevent the concentration of political power within a handful of families.

The proposal is one of more than two dozen anti-dynasty measures filed in the 20th Congress. Similar bills have been introduced repeatedly over the years but have consistently stalled amid concerns over constitutionality, implementation, and opposition from lawmakers linked to political clans.

Political dynasties remain deeply embedded in Philippine politics. Various studies and election analyses have shown that a significant number of governors, mayors, congressmen, and other elected officials come from established political families. Reform advocates have long argued that this concentration of power weakens democratic accountability and limits opportunities for emerging leaders.

The House's approval of the bill is being viewed as a historic breakthrough, but the proposal must still pass the Senate before it can be sent to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for signing into law.

With the measure now headed to the Senate, attention is shifting to whether lawmakers in the upper chamber will finally push forward a reform that has remained unfinished for nearly 40 years.

If enacted, the law would mark the first comprehensive national effort to regulate political dynasties and could significantly reshape the country's political landscape in future elections.