Image Source: Rappler

Filipinos place utmost importance on their families, the foundation of our nation. Because of this, it is no surprise that the family finds its place in all levels of the country’s social and political institutions—from the barangay to the national level, it is all families. Seeming as though it is one’s inherent desire to share one’s fortunes with their family, numerous elected public officials have sought to build their own dynasties inside the country’s elected offices. Hence, despite not having a working party system, the Philippines have perdurable political dynasties, turning Philippine politics into a sempiternal family affair.

Elections serve as an expression of the people’s mandate. The upcoming 2025 Midterm Elections will allow the Filipino electorate to either support or suppress the growth of political dynasties in the Philippines. However, looking at the result of the recent senatorial survey alone tells us that Filipino political dynasties will persist, with Imee Marcos, Pia Cayetano, Camille Villar, and Abby Binay—members of political dynasties—and Erwin and Ben Tulfo—members of an emerging obese political dynasty—belonging in the top preferred senatorial candidates in April 2025.

The entrenchment of these political dynasties cannot be attributed to the aspirations of political families alone—Filipino families play a role in it too.

The Filipino Family

The ‘family’ in the Philippines goes beyond blood relations and may also include other ‘primary groups’ (e.g., friends, colleagues, among other informal groups) formed through social and political interactions. Because Filipinos tend to prioritize the security of their families above other things, there is tendency among them to bypass bureaucracy for favors, especially by seeking help from patrons (e.g., political dynasties) in exchange for their support (i.e., through votes). Such interactions may lead some families to form relationships with political dynasties, explaining why the family has been recognized as one of the weaknesses of Filipino nationalism, especially in the presence of an ineffective and incompetent government.

However, high regard for the family may also be a source of nationalism. Following the arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte, a lot of Filipinos called upon their fellow countrymen and demanded the immediate release of their ‘Tatay Digong’—the supposedly fearless, populist patriot who have identified drug personalities as Filipinos’ ‘common enemy,’ which made the latter victim to his inhumane war on drugs. Through such calls, some Filipinos have sought to appeal to Filipino nationalism by arguing that the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) investigation on the war on drugs is a threat to our sovereignty.

Such reference to Duterte as ‘Tatay Digong’ is a manifestation of how the Filipino nation in itself is an ‘extended political family’ whose interdependent members need to be protected, especially its head, for it to function properly. Hence, for such to be achieved, Filipinos’ value for pakikisama must come into play.

The Politics of Pakikisama

Pakikisama or one’s ability to get along with others reflects Filipinos’ desire for “smooth, harmonious, and healthy interpersonal relationships.” When a person receives a good deed from someone, especially from a patron, to be one who is “mabuting makisama (good companion),” one is expected not only to act with tactfulness, dignity, and honesty but also to turn a blind eye on the misdeeds of the latter. Through this, the clients get to preserve “an intensive signification of camaraderie founded on unselfishness and good faith” that they have built with a patron.

By receiving Tatay Digong’s help in allegedly keeping the country safe from drug personalities, an illusion of an extended political family could have been formed between some Filipinos and Duterte. This may compel the former to act as one who is mabuting makisama, especially by brushing aside Duterte’s misdeeds, even to the lengths of justifying extrajudicial killings as an act of nationalism. Some may even conjure others to pity the old, weak, and ‘innocent’ Duterte who just sought to serve his country. To maintain the relationship within this extended political family, Duterte’s supporters may also encourage other Filipinos to vote for other members of the Duterte clan as well, even in the future—prolonging the existence of both the extended political family and the political dynasty.

Withal, just like how graces can extend within members of an extended political family, disgrace may be shared between them, too. This can be witnessed in how, with the Duterte family losing face because of the former President’s arrest, some Filipinos online argue that it is a dishonor to the entire nation to allow the ICC to conduct a trial on their Tatay Digong. Hence, tapping on Filipinos’ regard for pakikisama with the Dutertes, the children of Rodrigo Duterte are now enjoying greater attention and appeal that even the youngest among them, Veronica “Kitty” Duterte, is now being viewed as a newly hatched ‘eaglet’ of Davao City’s reigning political dynasty.

All these shows how pakikisama, although an ideal virtue per se, when employed blindly, leads to our country’s further political demise and, hence, to the erosion of our democracy.

The Ills of the Philippines’ Political Dynasties

The embeddedness of political dynasties in the Philippines not only brings extreme corruption in the government but has also resulted in occurrences of political violence. The self-serving behavior of these families has also caused incoherent economic policies leading thousands of Filipinos to a life of poverty, underdevelopment, and inequality. Their perpetuation in power and monopoly on state resources also prevents their members from observing transparency and accountability, which thereby hinders the electorate’s capacity to make informed decisions and prevent corrupt politicians from occupying public office.

Despite all these, some may still argue that there is nothing wrong with the presence of political dynasties in Philippine politics. However, just like any excesses, too much power within a political dynasty could lead to vices—abuse of power against the very people who have entrusted them. We should always remember that there are better standards in choosing our elected leaders than one’s family origins, and there are better ways for expressing our nationalism than patronizing a political clan that is indifferent to tens of thousands of Filipinos’ lives and rights.

The Future in Filipino Families

Families serve as one of the primary agents for Filipinos’ political socialization, meaning one is most likely to develop their political attitudes, behavior, and preferences with the influence of their family. Hence, by helping Filipino families have access to quality education and reliable political information, they can be agents towards cultivating future generations of Filipinos who are capable of differentiating leaders who have the vision, heart, and capability to lead from those who only want to catapult and entrench their family-line into power.

Withal, Filipino families must be reminded that rather than political dynasties being on the receiving end of their pakikisama, it should be the larger Filipino nation that will benefit in their election of the best possible leaders that they must prioritize first. By choosing competent leaders, we are doing greater favor to a greater number of our kapwa (fellow human)—the Filipino nation who flourishes from the services of an efficient, responsive, and accountable government and suffers from its corruption, negligence, and incompetence.