‘Dapat Isa Lang’ launched in Davao City to push for genuine anti-political dynasty law
DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 30 June 2026) – The Davao City launch of the Dapat Isa Lang Movement (D1LM), a nationwide people’s initiative to pass a genuine anti-political dynasty law in the country, was held here Tuesday, aimed at gathering at least 7 million signatures nationwide, including 110,0000 signatures from the city’s three districts, by October 15.
The launch was held at the Arrupe Hall of the Ateneo de Davao University, with students lining up as first signatories.
The nationwide D1LM was launched in May by convenors led by retired Senior Associate Justice Antonio Tirol and former Elections Commissioner Luie Guia.
The D1LM proposes a “genuine anti-political dynasty bill” that restricts political families to only one elected official in a national position and one in a local position; bans relatives up to the fourth civil degree — including spouses, children, parents, siblings, and cousins — from simultaneously holding office; and imposes a one-term cooling-off period for family members wanting to immediately succeed an incumbent relative.
D1L organizers aim to target around 7 million signatures, representing at least 10% of registered voters nationwide, by October 15, to push for a referendum in the first half of 2027 in the hope that “dynasties will be limited by the 2028 elections.”
In introducing Dapat Isa Lang Movement, Miguel Karlo Abadines, Executive Director of the Simbahang Lingkod ng Bayan (SLB), said it is composed of “people and organizations who are tired of corruption and poverty brought about by the system of political dynasties.” SLB is the National Secretariat of the D1LM.
Participants also lit a “flame of democracy” as a solemn promise that power belongs to the people, not to dynasties. “As the fire passed from hand to hand, so too did our shared resolve to begin the journey toward a genuine Anti-Political Dynasty Law through the People’s Initiative,” organizers said.
Anti-political dynasty bills
Political dynasties are supposed to be prohibited. The 1987 Constitution, under Article II, Section 26, mandates that the State “shall guarantee equal access to opportunities for public service and prohibit political dynasties.”
In four decades, however, the dynasty-dominated Congress failed to pass the anti-dynasty law.
On June 3, the dynasty-dominated House of Representatives finally passed on third reading House Bill 8389 or the Anti-Political Dynasty Act and transmitted it to the Senate on June 8, but his has been criticized as a pro-dynasty bill.
HB 8389 proposes to ban spouses or relatives within the second civil degree of consanguinity or affinity from simultaneously holding any national elective position; simultaneously holding membership in the House of Representatives within the same district; simultaneously holding any elective office within the same provincial government; and simultaneously holding any elective office within the same city or municipal government.
The D1LM pointed out that HB 8389 is “a pro-dynasty law that legitimizes /legislates dynasties” as it allows succession, rotation, switching after term limits, allows for dozens of family members to remain in power, and says nothing about party-list representation from within the dynasty.
Senate Bill 1901 on the other hand prohibits the simultaneous holding of political positions, including party list representation, for relatives up to second degree of consanguinity and affinity; allows a maximum of one national and one local elective post for relatives up to second degree of consanguinity and affinity and prohibits family members from succeeding each other in the political posts.
Dynasty-dominated
Abadines noted that 83% of the House of Representatives, 75% of Senators, 87% of Provincial Governos and 75% of City Mayors in the Philippines are members of political dynasties.
Dynasties, according to the D1L, weaken government accountability, influence appointments (from the executive, to the Judiciary), decide the budget, implement (or not) the projects. Several dynasties and their relatives are also contractors.
In Mindanao, dynasties dominate the political landscape, rendering accountability through checks and balances difficult especially if they hold both executive and legislative offices.
Results of the May 2025 elections showed that it’s still all in the family in 23 of 28 provinces.
Among Mindanao’s 28 provinces, fat, obese and severely obese dynasties rule: six provinces elected governors, vice governors and representatives from the same family; two elected governors and vice governors from the same family, 12 elected governors and representatives from the same family and three elected vice governors and representatives from the same family.
Only five provinces have governors, vice governors and representatives coming from different families.
Dynasties dominate the political landscape, rendering accountability through checks and balances difficult especially if they hold both executive and legislative offices.
In Davao City, there are seven Dutertes in public posts: Vice President Sara Duterte; her brother, Sebastian, the Davao City Mayor; Vice Mayor Rodrigo “Rigo” Duterte II, 1st district Representative Paolo Duterte, 2nd district Rep. Omar Duterte (Rigo and Omar are sons of Paolo), and Paolo’s wife, January, barangay chair of Catalunan Grande and Councilor representing the Association of Barangay Councils. A cousin, Harold Duterte, is representative of the PPP party-list group.
While in detention at the International Criminal Court in The Hague, the Netherlands, former President and long-time Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte won an 8th term as city mayor and was supposed to be the 8th Duterte in public office but his seat was deemed vacated in November for failing to take his oath of office. His seat was taken over by his son Sebastian, who was elected as Vice Mayor. Succeeding Sebastian as Vice Mayor was 1st Councilor Rigo.
Public office as public trust
D1LM organizers said the signature campaign is more than just a campaign but “a call to reclaim public office as a public trust and to create space for leadership based on merit, service, and accountability.”
“Dapat isa lang ang pwesto. Dapat may pagkakataon ang iba. Dapat buhay ang demokrasya,” the D1LM said.
In her closing remarks, Rhodalie Emilio, chair of the ADDU’s Political Science and History Department said that for so long, the political landscape of the nation has been concentrated in the hands of a few, “stifling the potential of ordinary but highly capable leaders.”
By launching the anti-political dynasty campaign, “we are actually responding with a call to transform the structures that perpetuate inequality and poverty,” she said.
“A signature may seem small, a single stroke of a pen on a piece of paper. But when thousands of ordinary citizens pull that pen together, it becomes an instrument of structural reform. We are not just demanding a vote. We are reclaiming this democratic space that belongs to every single Filipino,” she said.
“Let this launch be the first of many towards a more inclusive, just, and equitable society,” Emilio added.
In Mindanao, the Dapat Isa Lang Movement has also been launched at the Ateneo de Zamboanga and St. Paul University in Surigao.
For details on the signature campaign, Dapat Isa Lang Davao City has a social media page (Carolyn O. Arguillas / MindaNews)
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