Review of Related Literature:

The sections contains previous studies regarding political dynasties that

includes undergraduate and masters thesis and also dissertation. The section also
contains articles in journals , newspaper, and in the World Wide Web.
Definition of Political Dynasties
Political dynasty refers to the situation wherein members of the same
family are occupying elected positions either in sequence for the same position or
simultaneously across different positions. Analysts regard this situation as a signal
of weak political competition, which can lead to poorer socio-economic outcomes
and chronic poverty. On the other hand, analysts also note that people may tend to
rely on patron-client relationships as a way to cope with their poverty, thus creating
a demand for political patrons in public office (Beja Jr.,et al. 2013). Beja Et Al.
(2013) stated:
One definition of political dynasties refers to members of the same family
occupying elected positions either in sequence for the same position, or
simultaneously across different positions. Another term for political dynasty is
political family as stated by Kurtz (1989) A political family exist when two or more
relatives or have held in public office if two or more families are linked by kinship,
they are interlocked, forming a kinship network.
In our country ruled by a political oligarchy of rich and powerful families, a
political dynasty refers to relatives who enjoy a monopoly of electoral political
power to the disadvantage of rival leaders and the general public. In this sense we
can cite many provinces and cities and the national government ruled by political
dynasties. Anarchy of families says American historian, Alfred McCoy (Abueva
2013).
In the Merriam Webster Dictionary, dynasty defines as a succession of rulers of the
same line of descent; another definition was a powerful group or family that
maintains it position for a considerable period of time.
Political dynasties are also known as political families or political clans. These
dynasties maintain a monopoly of power over a longer period of time.
In the Philippine Constitution Article II Section 26 states The State shall
guarantee equal access to public service and prohibit political dynasty as may be
defined by law. There is no law in the Philippines defining political dynasties.
Yusingco(N.D) states:
It seems that such a law cannot be enacted because the majority of
lawmakers are members of traditional political families (at least 70% of Congress
members belong to political dynasties). Indeed, it is hard to imagine these
legislators passing a law that will cost them their grip on political power.
Nevertheless, there are Anti-Political Dynasty bills pending in the House of
Representatives and in the Senate.
Nature of Barangay

The barangay is a basic administrative unit and key arena for

democratic engagement (Magno). In the section 384 of the local government code it
states that As the basic political unit, the barangay serves as the primary planning
and implementing unit of government policies, plans, programs, projects, and
activities in the community, and as a forum wherein the collective views of the
people may be expressed, crystallized and considered, and where disputes may be
amicably settled. The barangay is composed of the punong barangay, seven
sagguniang barangay members, sangguniang kabataan member, a treasurer and
secretary and other appointed officials.
As mandated in Section 17 of the Local Government Code of 1991 (1991 LGC)
or RA 7160, the services and facilities that each barangay need to provide are the
following: (i) Agricultural support services which include planting materials
distribution system and operation of farm produce collection and buying stations;
(ii) Health and social welfare services which include maintenance of barangay
health center and day-care center; (iii) Services and facilities related to general
hygiene and sanitation, beautification, and solid waste collection; (iv) Maintenance
of katarungang pambarangay; (v) Maintenance of barangay roads and bridges and
water supply systems (vi) Infrastructure facilities such as multi- purpose hall,
multipurpose pavement, plaza, sports center, and other similar facilities; (vii)
Information and reading center; and (viii) Satellite or public market, where viable
Valdeheusa (2010) states that a barangay is a small republic. It has territory,
people, government, and, though limited sovereignty. As the home of every
sovereign Filipino, its voters provide legitimacy to government and authority to
public servants on all levels. Every precinct is located in it; every vote cast in. He
also states that like a municipal and upper level government, it has also three
branches of government, the executive headed by the barangay chairman,
legislative composed of the sagguniang barangay, and judicial headed by the lupon
tagapamayapa but all three are headed by one and the same official: the Barangay
Chairman. Unlike the upper level governments, there is no separation of powers in
the barangay. It is a parliamentary form of government. This explains why its leader
is called Chairman (i.e. prime minister) not Kapitan as in little commander-inchief (head of state in the presidential form of government}. He is a little prime
minister, not a little president. Punong Barangay is his formal title.
Appointed officials in the barangay include a barangay secretary and
treasurer. In the local government code the secretary and the treasurer is appointed
by the barangay chairman with the concurrence of the majority of all sangguniang
members and shall not be subject to attestation by the Civil Service Commission.
The fusion of the powers of the three branches of government in the
barangay places this small political unit a notch higher than the parliamentary
system. In a parliamentary set-up, executive and legislative functions are exercised
simultaneously but barangay officials also have quasi-judicial powers apart from the
power to implement and enact laws (Lagman 2008).
Valdehuesa (2010) pointed out that because a barangay is a parliamentary
form of government it has a parliament called the Barangay Assembly. This

assembly is in fact the communitys supreme governing body since it consists of all
the voters within the jurisdiction, the residents. The Barangay Assembly has power
to discipline or recall the chairman and kagawads for loss of confidence. It is
supposed to hear and pass upon the semestral report of the sangguniang barangy
concerning its activities and finances. It can a) initiate legislative processes by
recommending measures for the welfare of the barangay and city or municipality;
and b) propose, enact, or amend ordinances passed by the Sanggunian through the
process of initiative or referendum.
When it comes to income, each barangay receives an internal revenue
allotment (IRA) as a share in the proceeds from national internal revenue taxes in
the fulfillment of its functions. LGC states that The share of the of local government
units in the internal revenue allotment shall be allocated in the following manner: a.
Provinces-Twenty three percent(23%) b. Cities- Twenty three percent (23% )c.
municipalities-Thirty-four(34%) d. barangays- Twenty percent(20%).
The problem with the Internal Revenue Allotment is that the barangay and
other local government units became dependent on it. The IRA-dependency of all
LGUs, not only barangays, should be addressed. One way to do that is to provide
incentives for barangays that are maximizing their corporate powers and raising
their OSR than being dependent on the proceeds of national taxes. Bills filed in both
Houses of Congress proposing to amend IRA formula to account for performancebased and poverty indicators may provide insight on how to get incentives right for
barangays (Latug et. al 2010).
Nature of position of Barangay Chairman
In the Local Government Code section 389, the Punong Barangay serves as
the chief executive of the barangay and exercised such powers and performs such
duties and functions as provided by the LGC and other laws.
According to Valdehuesa (2010) the barangay is a parliamentary form of
government cause the three branches of government was headed by the barangay
chairman and in the barangay there is no such thing as separation of powers. This
explains why its leader is called Chairman (i.e. prime minister) not Kapitan as
in little commander-in-chief (head of state in the presidential form of
government}. He is a little prime minister, not a little president. Punong Barangay is
his formal title. It is wrong to confuse the two terms, using them interchangeably. A
chairman presides as first among equals over his peers, while a captain
commands troops (subordinate ranks). It would be ridiculous to have a commander
or dictator rule over the sovereign citizens of a democracy or a small republic like
the barangay. Before the Local Government Code was enacted in 1991, the
barangay was not a full-fledged government but a quasi-municipal entity with no
significant powers or resources. He was called Barrio Kapitan a title derived from
the Spanish Period when barrios were commanded by the captain of the Guardia
Civil.
Representative Edcel Lagman states The trinity of governmental powers is
vested in the Barangay Chairman. He is the Chief Executive of the barangay; he is
the Presiding Officer of the Sangguniang Barangay; and he is the Chief Magistrate of

the Lupong Tagapamayapa. In a manner of speaking, the Barangay Chairman is

President, Speaker and Chief Justice. Truly, he is the greatest functionary.
Section 389 of the Local Government Codes states the duties and responsibilities of
the Punong Barangay states that: (a) The Punong Barangay, as the chief executive
of the Barangay government, shall exercise such powers and perform such duties
and functions, as provided by this Code and other laws. (b) For efficient, effective
and economical governance, the purpose of which is the general welfare of the
Barangay and its inhabitants pursuant to Section 16 of this Code, the Punong
Barangay shall: (a) Enforce all laws and ordinances which are applicable within the
Barangay; (b) Negotiate, enter into, and sign contracts for and in behalf of the
Barangay, upon authorization of the Sangguniang Barangay (Council of the
Barangay); (c) Maintain public order in the Barangay and, in pursuance thereof,
assist the city or municipal mayor and the sanggunian (council) members in the
performance of their duties and functions; (d) Call and preside over the sessions of
the Sangguniang Barangay and the Barangay assembly, and vote only to break a
tie; (e) Upon approval by a majority of all the members of the Sangguniang
Barangay, appoint or replace the Barangay treasurer, the Barangay secretary, and
other appointive Barangay officials; (f) Organize and lead an emergency group
whenever the same may be necessary for the maintenance of peace and order or
on occasions of emergency or calamity within the Barangay; (g) In coordination with
the Barangay development council, prepare the annual executive and supplemental
budgets of the Barangay; (h) Approve vouchers relating to the disbursement of
Barangay funds; (i) Enforce laws and regulations relating to pollution control and
protection of the environment; (j) Administer the operation of the Katarungang
PamBarangay in accordance with the provisions of this Code; (k) Exercise general
supervision over the activities of the Sangguniang Kabataan; (l) Ensure the delivery
of basic services as mandated under Section 17 of this Code; (m) Conduct an annual
palarong Barangay which shall feature traditional sports and disciplines included in
national and international games, in coordination with the Department of Education;
(n) Promote the general welfare of the Barangay; and (o) Exercise such other
powers and perform such other duties and functions as may be prescribed by law or
ordinance.(c) In the performance of his peace and order functions, the Punong
Barangay shall be entitled to possess and carry the necessary firearm within his
territorial jurisdiction, subject to appropriate rules and regulations.
According to Ifugao Rep. Teddy Baguilat The barangay chairman is the
mayor, Speaker of the House and Chief Justice of the barangay. He is the engineer
who monitors infrastructure projects, the budget secretary looking for fund sources
from local and national agencies, the chief social worker during calamities and
disasters and the chief police who supervise the Tanods. At times, he is also the
guidance counselor who provides advice to warring couples. And he is the ultimate
spokesperson of the barangay. He has a lot of roles. Multi- faceted. And he is quite
powerful, that's why he's also the Numero Uno ward leader of politicians
(Fernandez 2013).
Power of Appointment

In the Local Governent Code appointed barangay officials include barangay

secretary and treasurer. Section 394 of the LGC states The barangay secretary
shall be appointed by the punong barangay with the concurrence of the majority of
all the sangguniang barangay members. The appointment of the barangay
secretary shall not be subject to attestation by the Civil Service Commission. While
395 states The barangay treasurer shall be appointed by the punong barangay
with the concurrence of the majority of all the sangguniang barangay members. The
appointment of the barangay treasurer shall not be subject to attestation by the
Civil Service Commission. Other brangay officials appointed by the Punong
Barangay shall be governed by the provisions of LGC and other laws or by barangay
ordinances (Sec. 396).
Another appointing power of the barangay captain was to appoint barangay
Tanod. The barangay tanod as a whole is a community brigade composed of civilian
volunteers appointed by the Punong Barangay upon the recommendation of
barangay kagawads acting as Barangay Peace and Order Committee. The Local
Government Code provides for a maximum of 20 tanods in each barangay;
however, villages may create more as necessary in accordance with the needs of
public service, and subject to the budgetary limitations of the barangay. The
Punong Barangay can designate a Chief Tanod/Ex-O to head the group. The
tanods can also be organized in teams of two to four members in each team headed
by a Team Leader (Aquino)
Importance of Family in Politics
In the research conducted by Kurtz (1989) families in which politics is a usual
activity of the members, children undergo a socialization experience which is
different from nonpolitical families. He also stated that Families with a tradition of
public service develop name recognition, goodwill, and skills, all of which are
components of the state or capital which can be transferred from one member to
another.
Prevalence of Political Dynasties
In the studies conducted by Beja et al(2013) they stated that the increased
income poverty does not create political dynasties but it contributes to the
expansion of the largest and strongest dynasty. According to Beja et al (2013):
Given that the poor are most vulnerable to political patronage and
manipulation as well as practical to sell their votes, a worsening, if not unchanging,
poverty would be beneficial to political dynasties. Since the largest political
dynasties would, in most situations, be the families that have cultivated the most
extensive networks of patronage, accumulated the most political and financial
capital, and have the access to the largest political machineries, they would also be
in the best position to take advantage of vulnerable economically disadvantaged
voters.
Querubin(2010) stated that members of these political dynasties have a great
political power due to various observed and unobserved characteristics of the family

such as wealth, talent, popularity or looks that correlate with political success and
can be transmitted across generations.
Sunico (2013) pointed out that these political families have gathered enough wealth
and resources to ensure that they win any election whether through the strength of
the family name or through more "creative" electoral strategies. And by that I
obviously refer more to vote buying, strong arm coercion and of course
implementing fluffy laws and ordinances that shower gifts on the poor and less
fortunate without effectively changing their lot in life.
Center for Peoples Empowerment and Governance (2010) stated that:
The barangay is a microcosm of oligarchic politics, misallocation of resources, and
corruption. It serves as an extension of ruling political dynasties and as a base of
future traditional politicians. Many candidates for punong barangay (barangay
captain) are the children or relatives of the local mayor or councilors. It is also a
stepping stone for future municipal and congressional leaders. Many members of
Congress started their political career in the barangay. Candidates for barangay
posts totaling 336,200 also receive backing from congressmen and other local
politicians who seek to maintain their power base particularly during elections.
Exploitative political dynasties are thus the cause and consequence of our
ineffective and unaccountable patron-client democracy, and personalized parties
plagued by misuse of power, corruption and wastage of state resources, and of our
rapid population growth and continuing underdevelopment. We cannot begin to
change our political system that breeds these ills without basic structural and
institutional reforms, as we critics and Charter change advocates keep saying and
writing about (Abueva 2013).

References
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people poor, and our country undeveloped. Jose V. Abueva Blog. Retrived
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Aquino, Rachel. N.D. Five Municipal Case Studies on the Philippine Barangay
(Village) Mediation System. Mediators Network for Sustainable Peace, Inc.,
Philippines
Beja, Edsel L., Jr., Mendoza , Ronald, U., Venida, Victor, S., Yap, David.2013. Political
dynasties and poverty: Resolving the chicken or the egg question. Aim Working
Paper 13-017. Asian Institute of Management.

Bolong, Leilani E., Lavado, Rouselle F., Layug, Allan S., Pantig, Ida Marie T. 2010. Do
Barangays Really Matter in Local Services Delivery? Some Issues and Policy
Options. DISCUSSION PAPER SERIES NO. 2010-03. Philippine Institute for
Development Studies
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2014 (http:bulatlat.com/main/2010/11/04/cenpeg-barangay-grassroots-democracyor-clan-politics/)
Fernandez. Lira Dalangin.2013. THEIR VIEW | Why is the barangay chairman
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Political Dynasties in the Philippines. Harvard Academy for International and Area
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(http://pclt.cis.yale.edu/leitner/resources/papers/Querubin_Term_Limits.pdf)
Sunico, Rocky.2013. 0156E: Political Dynasties Are Bad For The Philippines.
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Speech delivered by REP. EDCEL C. LAGMAN at the 2007 Oath Taking Ceremonies of
Barangay Officials of the First Congressional District of Albay, July 15, 2008.