Speaker Belmonte’s push for antidynasty bill elates group

MANILA, Philippines–A civil society group lobbying for an end to political dynasties has expressed confidence that House Bill No. 3587, which has passed committee deliberations and which is being tackled in plenary debates, would be passed before the 2016 elections.

The Movement against Dynasties (MAD) said the group is counting on Speaker Feliciano Belmonte’s pronouncement before the plenary hours ahead of the President Aquino’s State of the Nation Address on July 28 that he is pushing for the swift passage of the bill, otherwise known as “An Act Prohibiting the Establishment of Political Dynasties,” which he hopes will guide candidacy rules for 2016.

MAD chairman Quintin San Diego said the group “hails the statesmanship of Speaker Belmonte, who himself belongs to a political dynasty,” for supporting the passage of coauthors Rep. Fredenil Castro and Caloocan Rep. Edgar Erice’s bill, San Diego said.

He said the timetable is very crucial, considering that political dynasties control most of the Senate and the House of Representatives and that the highly controversial and now declared unconstitutional Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) and the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP) are directly correlated to the rise of political dynasties.

Santiago said the dynasty-PDAF-DAP link as a political issue in the 2016 elections would spell the rise and fall of many politicians.

MAD cochairman Danilo P. Olivares also noted that lawmakers, many of whom belong to political dynasties, have set aside personal and political interests and have thrown their support for the passage of an antidynasty law.