Majority of Filipinos reject dynasty bets in same race

By Francis Allan L. Angelo

A majority of Filipinos find it unacceptable for candidates from the same political family to run together in the same Senate race, according to the February 2025 nationwide survey conducted by non-partisan research firm WR Numero.

Fifty-seven percent of respondents said it is unacceptable for members of political dynasties to run for the Senate in the same election cycle, while only 24 percent found it acceptable and 20 percent were undecided.

Similarly, 55 percent rejected the idea of family members simultaneously running for mayor, governor, or congressional posts. Only 28 percent found such arrangements acceptable, and 17 percent were unsure.

In contrast, when asked about candidates from the same family running consecutively — such as a child succeeding a parent in office after the latter’s term ends — 51 percent of respondents found this acceptable. Thirty-two percent disagreed, and 16 percent were undecided.

WR Numero’s Philippine Public Opinion Monitor also found that views on the extent of political dynasties in the Senate vary depending on their proportional representation.

If 10 to 20 percent of Senate seats were held by political families, 41 percent said this was acceptable, compared to 31 percent who disagreed and 28 percent who were unsure.

However, when asked about a scenario where 80 to 90 percent of senators belonged to political dynasties, 39 percent found it unacceptable, 35 percent acceptable, and 26 percent were undecided.

The survey also revealed a decline in the general acceptability of political dynasties. In February 2025, 44 percent said they found them acceptable during elections — a drop from 56 percent in September 2024. The belief that dynasties are more prone to corruption also declined, from 50 percent in September to 44 percent in February.

When asked to name a political family they believed prioritizes personal interests over public service, 42 percent of respondents could not identify any. Among those who could, the Marcos family was most frequently cited (19 percent), followed by Duterte (10 percent), Villar (3 percent), Aquino (2 percent), and Binay (2 percent).

The non-commissioned survey was conducted from February 10 to 18, 2025, through face-to-face interviews with 1,814 respondents aged 18 and older. The national margin of error is ±2 percent, with subnational margins ranging from ±5 to ±6 percent.