Catholic educators are urging lawmakers to widen the scope of a proposed anti-political dynasty law, warning that a Senate-approved second-degree limitation may fail to dismantle entrenched family control in Philippine politics.
The Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines said limiting the prohibition to the second or third civil degree “may appear sufficient on paper, but in practice it leaves wide openings for political power to remain within the same extended clan.”
On Tuesday, the Senate Committee on Electoral Reforms and People’s Participation endorsed a consolidated bill prohibiting relatives up to the second degree of consanguinity or affinity from simultaneously holding national or local elective posts. The coverage includes parents, children, siblings, and spouses.
The proposal seeks to implement the 1987 Constitution’s directive to prohibit political dynasties, a mandate that has remained without an enabling law for nearly 40 years.
Lawmakers described the second-degree cap as a practical and enforceable first step, citing concerns raised by the Commission on Elections about implementation.
CEAP, which represents about 1,500 Catholic educational institutions nationwide, said the narrower restriction does not reflect how political alliances operate at the local level.
“In many communities, cousins, in-laws, nephews, nieces, and even more distant relatives function as a single coordinated political unit, sharing resources, machinery, and decision-making influence,” the association said.
It warned that if the prohibition stops at the second or third degree, power can be transferred “sideways” to relatives just outside the legal boundary while preserving the same network of control.
“A fourth-degree limit acknowledges how political alliances within families actually operate, especially in local settings where kinship ties extend beyond the nuclear family,” CEAP said.
“The goal is not to overreach, but to prevent cosmetic compliance that keeps the structure intact while changing only the surname on the ballot.”
The association added that drawing the line at the fourth civil degree would make reform “meaningful rather than symbolic,” ensuring that leadership rotation opens space for broader democratic participation rather than merely reorganizing family succession.
Senate Bill No. 1901 bars both simultaneous and successive holding of elective posts within the same jurisdiction, including party-list participation.
It requires candidates and party-list nominees to submit sworn certifications declaring that no prohibited political dynasty relationship exists.
The measure authorizes the Commission on Elections to deny or cancel certificates of candidacy upon verified violation and provides for criminal penalties under the Omnibus Election Code.
If passed, the law would take effect in the next elections, with incumbents allowed to complete their terms under a transitory clause.
