Joint Statement on House Bill No. 8389

House Bill No. 8389, which recently passed its third and final reading, is a pro-dynasty bill. Instead of fulfilling the mandate of our 1987 Constitution to dismantle political dynasties, it does the exact opposite: it institutionalizes the entrenched control of political families.

The bill limits its prohibition only to relatives within the second degree of consanguinity or affinity, and only within the exact same political unit. This sounds like a restriction. It is not. We have all seen a single family hold the governorship, the congressional seat, and the mayoralty of a province simultaneously — while a brother or son sits in the Senate.

Under HB 8389, the same arrangements are allowed and now become law:

Concurrent Family Offices: A single family simultaneously holding the offices of Governor, Congressman, and Mayor in one province — while other members sit as Senator, Vice President, or President.

Unlimited Succession: A termed-out official handing his position directly to a spouse, child, or sibling — with no waiting period and no end in sight.

Position Switching: A congressman and a mayor from the same family simply swapping seats once their respective terms expire.

Uncovered Relatives: Uncles, aunts, and cousins — relatives beyond the second degree — facing no restrictions whatsoever, free to accumulate offices across every level of government.

This is not reform but protection of dynasties and making sure there are no reforms. Political dynasties crowd out independent candidates, concentrate public resources within family networks, and have kept whole provinces in poverty across generations, while allegations of rampant corruption remain unabated. The evidence is not disputed. What has been lacking is the political will to act on it.

We strongly reject HB 8389. We call on the Senate to refuse to act on this measure and on the President to veto it should it reach his desk.

Real reform will not come from a Congress heavily populated by dynasties. A true anti-dynasty law can only come directly from the people. We urge every Filipino to support the “Dapat Isa Lang” campaign of the People’s Initiative Coalition Against Dynasties (PICAD). Its proposal is straightforward: limit family members up to the fourth degree to one national and one local position at a time, with firm prohibitions on succession and switching. This can be achieved through the People’s Initiative — the constitutional mechanism that allows citizens to legislate directly when their representatives in Congress will not.

Filipinos should be spared of HB 8389 and, as a nation, should finally rid itself of the affliction of dynasties.

Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines (FINEX)
Justice Reform Initiative (JRI)
Makati Business Club (MBC)
Management Association of the Philippines (MAP) 
Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV)
Philippine Institute of Arbitrators
Shareholders’ Association of the Philippines (SharePHIL)