Some clans even have mayors, governors, and senators all at once! Critics argue this limits fair representation, while supporters claim it ensures "experienced leadership." Here are my additional readings on other political Dynasty in the islands.
Political dynasties have long been a feature of the Philippine political landscape. Political dynasties started emerging after the Philippine Revolution when the First Republic of the Philippines was established. With the decline of Spain's economic power and international prestige in the 19th century, the expansion of British and American influence around the world, and the political current of emergent nationalismamong the children of the economically enfranchised bourgeois, the power of the peninsulares', or Spanish-born aristocracy declined propitiously. Following the defeat of the Spanish in the Spanish–American War, the surviving members of the Spanish or Spanish-sanctioned landholding elite and the newly ascendant merchant elite, who were mostly foreign expatriates or of Chinese origin, formed a de facto aristocracy to replace the power vacuum the Spanish had left.
Aristocracy survived and prospered under the American colonial regime, and remained a permanent fixture in Philippine society even following the independence of the Philippines which was finally confirmed following the devastation of the Philippines under the Japanese occupation of the Philippines during World War II. Over the years, political dynasties continued to adapt, as newer dynasties emerged to fill power vacuums left behind by the extinction of older dynasties. The majority of the available positions in Philippine government are currently held by members of these political dynasties.
There are more than 500 names in the List of Family Dynasty in the Philippines.
Due to the increasing number of political dynasties in the Philippines, majority of the positions in government are held by politicians that are members of political dynasties. In fact, in the years 1995–2007, an average of 31.3% of all congressmen and 23.1% of governors were replaced by relatives. In the 1995 elections, of the 83 congressmen elected on to their third term, 36 of them were replaced by a relative in the succeeding elections. The term "relative" here referring to anyone with a familial connection such as a wife, a son or daughter, a cousin, etc. In many of these cases, the people who would eventually go on to take their place had no previous political background or experience save their familial connection.
The most popular and notorious are listed as follows( followed by the region of dominancy).
Ampatuan ( Maguidanao), Aquino ( Tarlac), Binay ( Makati), Dimacuha ( Batangas), Duterte ( Davao), Estrada ( San Juan), Marcos 💚( Ilocos Norte), Ortega ( La Union), Roxas ( Capiz), Villar ( Las Pinas) and Ynares ( Rizal).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_political_families_in_the_Philippines
The Marcos Dynasty:
💚If there is one clan whose grip on the Philippines left marks of abuse and impunity, it would be the Marcoses. Ferdinand Marcos Sr., the patriarch, held power for 21 years through political maneuvering and Martial Law. His reign faced opposition from Senator Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr., whose assassination in 1983 sparked a massive movement that led to Marcos Sr. 's ousting in 1986.
In 2022, Marcos Jr. won the presidency, signaling a resurgence of the family's power. His landslide victory was more than just political success; it was a powerful statement of their return.
With the reins of power once again firmly in their grasp, the Philippines stands at a crossroads. Will the nation tread a path shaped by lessons of the past, or will it once again bear the weight of a dynasty whose influence runs deep, like roots entangled in the country’s crimson-soaked soil?
In 1968, Ferdinand Marcos opened a Swiss bank account under the fake name "William Saunders," allegedly to hide illicit wealth.
Shortly after, Imelda Marcos did the same, using the alias "Jane Ryan" to open four Swiss bank accounts. Through these accounts, four checks totaling $950,000 were deposited, marking the beginning of a massive financial operation to hide the Marcos family’s fortune.
Over the years, billions of dollars were funneled into offshore accounts, shell
companies, and foreign investments, much of it suspected to have been embezzled from public funds.
In 1986, after the People Power Revolution ousted Marcos, investigators uncovered several of these hidden accounts, leading to international legal battles over the recovery of stolen wealth.
The case became one of the largest examples of kleptocracy in history, with efforts to retrieve the money continuing for decades.
As a Summary: Nearly 80% of Philippine Congress members and over 50% of local officials come from political dynasties.
This concentration of power has been linked to corruption, weak public services, and deep inequality—yet there’s still no law banning dynasties, despite it being written in the 1987 Constitution.
Lastly on did you know That....
On February 25, 1986, just hours before fleeing, Ferdinand Marcos held a fake inauguration inside Malacañang to project that he was still in power. With his close allies present, he took the oath of office, and state-controlled TV stations aired the ceremony in an attempt to legitimize his rule.
However, the world had already recognized Cory Aquino as the rightful president, with her own inauguration held at Club Filipino the same day.
As millions of Filipinos celebrated, Marcos was forced to flee to Hawaii, marking the end of his 21-year dictatorship. 
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