The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) has called on dioceses, parishes, Catholic schools and other religious and lay organizations to support the Dapat Isa Lang People’s Initiative for an anti-political dynasty law.
In a pastoral statement dated September 25, CBCP President and Lipa Archbishop Gilbert A. Garcera said political power should not be treated as a family inheritance, stressing that public office is a trust given by the people.
“Public office must never become a family inheritance. It is a public trust, entrusted by the people to serve all,” the bishops said.
The CBCP said the 1987 Constitution directs the state to guarantee equal access to opportunities for public service and prohibit political dynasties as defined by law. Nearly four decades after the Constitution was adopted, the bishops said, the mandate remains unfulfilled.
The statement clarified that the issue is not the character or competence of individual members of political families but a system that allows power to remain within the same families.
“The deeper concern is a system that allows political power to concentrate and be repeatedly passed among members of the same families, narrowing opportunities for other qualified citizens, weakening genuine political competition, and making accountability more difficult,” the CBCP said.
The bishops described political dynasties as a moral and ethical concern, saying the concentration of political power can undermine equal access to public service and expose institutions to patronage and favoritism.
The CBCP expressed support for the Dapat Isa Lang People’s Initiative, calling it a “peaceful, lawful, and democratic effort” to fulfill the constitutional mandate.
It emphasized that its support was not directed against any particular political family, party, candidate, or public official and urged that the initiative not become a source of hatred, retaliation, or partisan division.
Instead, the bishops encouraged Filipinos to understand the proposal, ask questions and participate freely and responsibly.
“We therefore encourage our dioceses, parishes, Catholic schools and universities, religious communities, lay organizations, and all people of goodwill to support the Dapat Isa Lang People’s Initiative and to help our people understand its purpose and provisions,” the statement said.
The CBCP also urged the public to resist misinformation, coercion, vote-buying, intimidation and political pressure.
The statement concluded that the country needs both strong families and strong democratic institutions, adding that family ties should enrich the nation rather than restrict political participation.
“After almost forty years, the constitutional command against political dynasties should no longer remain merely an aspiration,” the bishops said. “The time has come to give it genuine meaning in law and in political life.”
