Image Source: Rappler

Every six years, politicians hand you a ballot and call it “power.”  They flood your feeds with campaign jingles, slap posters on every wall, and tell you, “The future is in your hands.” They tell you to believe in the magic of elections, to trust that change is just one vote away. But here’s the hard truth: Your vote is never supposed to matter. You think you’re picking leaders? You’re just picking your gatekeepers. Philippine elections were never meant to represent you. They’re rigged rituals, designed to keep dynasties, billionaires, and vested interests in charge—year after year. They parade elections as democracy, but it’s just dictatorship dressed in ballots. Much like oligarchy in campaign colors. And, unless you call the bluff, you’ll never matter.

Who Runs the World? (Hint: Not You)

The numbers don’t lie: 75% of district reps, 85% of governors, and nearly 67% of mayors come from dynasties. That’s not coincidence—it’s choreography. They dominate major parties, bankroll campaigns, and steamroll every election like it’s a family reunion.  And the rest of us? We’ve seen the credits before: Marcos, Villar, Binay, Estrada, and Duterte. Same old cast, new election day. We all live in dynastic déjà vu. In Philippine politics, family ties boost your election odds by at least 3.6 times. It’s like starting a race three steps from the finish line, while everyone else is still stuck behind the starting line.  Imagine Candidate A, no big name, works twice as hard for a 20% chance. Then Candidate B, a dynasty-backed candidate, comes in with a 72% chance, no problem. The surname seals the deal. The name carries the clout. When 72% is your starting point, the competition is merely ceremonial.

Congrats, You Played Yourself (at the polls)

1. Win Without a Majority

The Philippine 1987 Constitution uses a first-past-the-post electoral system, where candidates can win with a mere plurality, not necessarily a majority.  This means they don’t need most of you, but just enough of you. Picture five candidates. One grabs 30%, the rest split the other 70%. Guess who wins? The one barely anyone voted for. Case in point: In 2016, Duterte clinched the presidency with just 39% of the vote. Meaning 6 out of 10 voters didn’t want him, but too bad—you’re stuck.  Because the system lets politicians exploit division, they don’t need the country behind them, just enough loyal diehards while everyone else cancels each other out.

2. Parties Don’t Matter, Names Do

The 1987 Constitution hardwired weak political parties into Philippine democracy. No anti-turncoat provisions. No real incentives to build cohesive platforms. Just revolving doors, where loyalty is transactional, and ideology irrelevant. The outcome? Party switching is endemic. From 1987 to 2016, 33% of congressmen switched parties, 32% of which ran straight to the president’s side. Not out of conviction but out of convenience. With no solid party system and no law against dynasties, the same families will take charge of the elections. In short, no need for a solid party.  Just slap your family name on a ballot and call it a day.

3. Term Limits? Not for Families

The Philippine Constitution limits how long politicians can cling to power. But here’s the loophole: term limits apply to individuals, not dynasties. Though Article II, Section 26 acknowledges the need to prohibit political dynasties, the lack of enabling legislation renders this principle ineffective. So, when dad’s time is up, mom, son, or cousin steps in. It’s a legal political relay and its consequences are far-reaching. Not only does it hinder genuine political competition, but it also undermines the very spirit of term limits. That is, to prevent the consolidation of powers  across generations.

Democratic Glitches: Update Overdue

1. Let the Majority Win 

There is a need to problematize how presidents can win with as little as 30%, leaving the other 70% stuck with a leader they never chose. The fix? A two-round runoff system. In France’s 2017 elections, Emmanuel Macron only secured around 20% in the first round but won with 58.54% in the runoff. Hence, a broader mandate. Without a two-round system, plurality winners remain a systemic flaw. Leaders with weak mandates have the tendency to govern unchecked. Letting the majority win—once and for all—helps ensure greater legitimacy and reduce political fragmentation.

2. No More Party-Hopping!

You know it’s rigged when candidates can swap parties overnight, pledging loyalty only to power, not principles. The 1987 Philippine Constitution envisions a free and open party system, yet it lacks the teeth to prevent political turncoatism. The Philippines needs stronger party discipline. Strong enough for anti-turncoat provisions to strip defectors of their seats and incentivize genuine party loyalty. If parties actually stood for something, elections might, too. Other countries have already fixed this. Take for instance India’s Anti-Defection Law (1985) that disqualifies legislators who switch parties.  In other words, no more convenient betrayals, please. Such a law helps curb transactional politics and force parties to build real platforms. Ultimately, the Philippines should follow suit and stop the charade. 

3. Stop Electing Last Names

The Philippines needs a real Anti-Dynasty Law, not the watered-down versions that never make it past Congress. Political dynasties aren’t just a glitch in the system—they are the system. Studies show that provinces dominated by dynastic politicians tend to have significantly higher poverty rates. Meaning? The deeper a dynasty digs its claws into a province, the harder it is for the people to climb out of poverty.  Perhaps for an obvious reason: dynasties distort policy priorities. This is what makes them very problematic. They channel money into political survival rather than long-term growth. 

Democracy: The ‘Cap’ We All Wear 

Others might say, but isn’t the Philippines still a democracy? We have elections after all. Fair point. But if elections alone made a democracy, then even the most corrupt, repressive regimes could claim the title. In the same manner, a democracy that threatens dynasties is a democracy they’d never allow. This is proof that our democracy is not for real.  It is merely an illusion to make us believe we have a choice, when in reality, power never leaves the hands of the few. Real democracy shifts power. And if it were real, they’d be scared of it. No cap.

Final tea? You’re a Nobody! 

You are never supposed to matter. Not to them. Not to this system. Not in a democracy designed to keep you powerless. They built this illusion so you’d vote, not question. Obey, not demand. Believe, but never see. But here’s the thing about illusions: once they crack, they never hold. Real change doesn’t come from the ballots they hand you every six years. It comes when you decide that you’re done being a nobody. So perhaps a good question to ponder is: If this system were truly democratic, why does it make sure you never matter? That’s because the moment you realize how much you actually do, their game is over. And maybe, just maybe, that’s exactly what they fear.