President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. wants to stop the abuse of power and strengthen Filipinos’ rights to choose their leaders, which is why he has ordered the immediate passage of the anti-dynasty bill, according to Palace press officer Claire Castro.
At a briefing on Wednesday, Castro was asked what prompted the President to change his stance on political dynasties.
This came after then-presidential aspirant Marcos defended political dynasties, saying politics is all about performance.
‘Why would you make political dynasty illegal? Paano kung ‘yon ang gusto ng tao? The perception is political dynasty is bad, which is not the case,’ he said in a One News interview.
‘You are targeting a very specific group in society. Politics is all about performance. If you’re worried about dynasties then take everybody to an election,’ he added.
But in Wednesday’s briefing, Castro pointed to the evolving political landscape as the reason for Marcos’ change of heart.
‘The political landscape is changing, many are abusing their power, and the President is right – the power to vote is in the hands of the people. But because of this, some have taken advantage,’ the Palace official said.
‘The President wants to let the people know that you have a choice – one based on merit, not just because you share the same surname,’ she added.
Marcos also wants the public to choose leaders not based on their clans, but because they are capable of leading, Castro said.
In a statement on Tuesday, Castro announced Marcos’ order for Congress to prioritize the passage of the Anti-Dynasty Bill, the Independent People’s Commission Act, the Party-list System Reform Act, and the Citizens Access and Disclosure of Expenditures for National Accountability or the CADENA Act.
Marcos himself comes from a political clan. His father and namesake, Ferdinand Marcos Sr., was the longest-serving president of the Philippines.
His son, Sandro Marcos, is currently serving as the representative of Ilocos Norte, while his sister, Sen. Imee Marcos, holds a seat in the upper chamber.
Marcos’ cousin, Martin Romualdez, also took the helm of the House speakership before he resigned due to issues of corruption related to flood control projects. /das