Vice President Sara Duterte recently expressed support for a legislative proposal prohibiting political dynasties in the Philippines despite coming from a family of politicians herself.
According to the vice president, she believes that she is in the best position to speak about political dynasties because she comes from a political family.
“Yes, I will support the batas on anti-political dynasty. Kung bibigyan nila ako ng pagkakataon na sumulat (batas) ako yung susulat. Ako yung pinakamagaling sa political dynasty,” Duterte said.
During the campaign period, the vice president has consistently encouraged the public to evaluate candidates based on their experience and skills rather than their family backgrounds.
She even cited herself as an example.
“On political dynasties, automatic ang boto natin kapag galing sa malaking pamilya sa politika. So, dapat baguhin natin yun. Tinatanong natin dapat ang kandidato like, yes you are a Duterte, but ano ba ang abilidad mo at ano ba ang kapasidad mo? Hindi na ako lumayo, para wala ng matamaan, dito na lang sa akin personal ang halimbawa,” she said.
The vice president encouraged the public to always question the capacity and competence of the candidates.
“I am campaigning about us selecting people automatically based on their family affiliations. We should ask the person first, okay Duterte ka, ano ba ang abilidad mo? Ano ba ang kapasidad mo? Okay Marcos ka, ano ba abilidad mo, ano ba kapasidad mo? Hindi automatic yun na pag anak o asawa, kapatid, pamangkin, automatic na, absent a law that is the most we can do as voters,” Duterte said.
When asked how the Duterte family take her position on political dynasties, she replied: “Quiet sila, lahat kasi ang pinag-uusapan ay ang detention ni former President Rodrigo Duterte sa The Hague so walang nag bring up ng politics sa bahay.”
The Duterte family has added two new family members to politics in the recently concluded 2025 national and local midterm elections.
The eldest grandson of the former president, Omar Vincent, will be joining his father, Paolo, in the House of Representatives, as they won as representatives for the First and Second Districts of Davao City.
Rodrigo “Rigo” II, Omar’s younger brother and namesake of the former president, also won as the top city councilor in the First District.
