Palace: Marcos push for anti-dynasty, reforms bills not for optics

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December 12, 2025 | 4:41pm

MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive for Congress to prioritize key anti-corruption measures — including a long-stalled anti-political dynasty bill — is not merely for show, Malacañang said on Friday, December 12.

Marcos recently asked lawmakers to prioritize the passage of several measures: the anti-political 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 Act.

Pushing back against criticism that the move was driven by optics, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said the president’s order should not be dismissed as a publicity stunt, stressing that while the measures are important, they should not be rushed at the expense of quality.

Good laws, not rushed laws. “Ang request na aralin mabuti bago magsagawa at maipasa ang batas na ito ay pang-optics lang? Hindi ba ang nais natin ay magandang batas, hindi minamadali,” Castro said. (Is the request to study the bill thoroughly before passing it just for optics? Don’t we want a good law, right? One that isn’t rushed?)

“Real optics is rushing to make a law that is insufficient,” she added.

Castro said Marcos himself instructed congressional leaders to carefully study the proposed measures to ensure they are not half-baked and can withstand scrutiny and challenges once enacted.

Bills face criticism

The Palace remarks came amid criticism of the anti-dynasty bills filed by House Speaker Bojie Dy and Majority Leader Sandro Marcos, the Ppesident’s son. Both lawmakers come from prominent political families.

Critics, however, have described their proposal as lacking, with a a loophole that could allow dynastic rule to persist. For them, the bill does not clearly specify how many relatives may simultaneously occupy posts across different levels of government.

Castro said this is precisely why the bill must undergo the legislative process, where it can be debated upon and improved.

She added that the Senate has also filed its own version of an anti-dynasty measure.

Marcos’ call surprised some observers, given that he hails from one of the country’s most enduring political families.

Several lawmakers, however, have questioned why the president did not simply certify the bills as urgent, which would allow Congress to act on them more quickly.

Others have dismissed the directive as a symbolic move, noting that Marcos has faced declining public trust following the controversy over alleged infrastructure-related corruption.