Last Monday, I argued that without enforcement, accountability weakens and impunity thrives. Dynasties endure not because corruption is hidden, but because exposure carries little to no cost. The problem is not the existence of political families, but whether our institutions are well designed to contain them. I will now address three questions: how anti-dynasty laws…
In the Philippines, politics is a family business. The numbers are staggering. Political dynasties hold more than 65 percent of all public elective positions, according to the Philippine Institute for Development Studies. Last week, I wrote that dynastic nuances would endure (see “Why dynasties endure,” 12/8/25), but still I submit that dynasties can be contained…
From the ravages of the flood control scams emerged certain surnames, names not too difficult to identify given their long histories of influence and power. Some 38 years after the 1987 Constitution solemnly vowed (in Article II, Section 26), “The State shall guarantee equal access to opportunities for public service and prohibit political dynasties as…
The Makabayan bloc in the House of Representatives (HR) has again filed bills to revise the Party-list Law (RA 7941) to “ensure that it stays true to its original purpose of serving the marginalized” and underrepresented. Sen. Risa Hontiveros filed a similar bill in the Senate, targeting the dynasties. THE ORIGINAL SIN IS IMBEDDED not only…
Since retiring from the bench, I have witnessed how tech wonderfully reshapes the pursuit of knowledge and justice. Recently, at a seminar on “Decision Intelligence and Supercreativity Leading in the Age of AI” sponsored by PLDT and other MVP companies, I heard that AI chatbots dive far beyond the simple search engines I knew. They…
I will be back soon
