‘Filipino voters can forget abuses’: Polls prove political dynasties still rule PH

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CEBU CITY, Philippines — The 2025 midterm elections proved that despite scandals, powerful political dynasties remain firmly rooted in Philippine politics, said a Filipino political scientist.

Dr. Cleo Anne Calimbahin, professor of political science specializing in elections, corruption, and democracy studies, dissected the May 2025 midterm results and the “enduring” hold of political families on the Philippines’ democratic system during a post-election forum here.

“The Marcos return to politics shows that Filipino voters can forget human rights abuses. And that loyal supporters of powerful dynasties never go away. They can bring back even the most discredited politicians to power,” Calimbahin said.

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While a few reformists won, Calimbahin said the midterm elections confirmed a persistent reality that the country’s democracy continues to be at risk from political manipulation, voter forgetfulness, and the strong influence of entrenched political families.

“We finally see some variations in political outcomes… but for the most part, what we see is a play out between two entrenched cadastral [dynasties with long-standing control over political ‘territories] families,” she said.

“Yes, administration usually wins, [it’s] advantageous because of incumbency… This is not to say that we do not have candidates out there with reforms, platforms, and initiatives. But sometimes, it’s really just the lesser of two dynasties,” she added.

The feud between the Marcos and Duterte camps dominated national headlines throughout the campaign period, but beneath the drama, Calimbahin said the results were all too familiar, and that both families expanded their grip on power.

“The Duterte family is a dynasty undiminished… We saw the horizontal expansion with five family members winning the elections,” she said.

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Meanwhile, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. consolidated influence in key areas and benefited from incumbency advantages and state resources, even as his administration battled fallout from soaring rice prices, El Niño, and criticisms over the P20/kilo rice promise, according to Calimbahin.

She also noted that despite the visible rivalry between political camps, both sides continue to use similar tactics: massive campaign spending, weak or nonexistent party systems, vague platforms, and a loyal voter base that seldom demands accountability.

“Unity — we’ve heard this before. This is part of the ghost of elections past,” Calimbahin said.

She critiqued the recycled rhetoric that powered the 2022 Marcos-Duterte tandem and echoed in 2025.

She cited persistent issues in the 2025 polls: vague platforms, opaque funding sources, bulk buying of votes before and after elections, and lack of mechanisms to hold winners accountable once in office.

“There are still very personalistic pies that are built, some with good messaging in the digital space,” she added. “But all of these are also two-edged swords.”

In Cebu, where political families like the Garcias, Osmeñas, and Ramas have long controlled local power, these national patterns feel deeply familiar.

Newly elected Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival, an environmentalist and long-time opposition figure, is one of the few to break through the mold, but observers say he’ll face the same system that thwarts reform from within.

“We focus a lot on elections,” she said. “But there’s a component of democracy that we need to also harness, and that’s demand for accountability. The demand for accountability is wanting.”

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With the next presidential election three years away, Calimbahin urged Filipinos to look beyond elections and invest in democratic institutions, political education, and long-term civic engagement.

Otherwise, she warned, even reformist wins will remain symbolic at best. /clorenciana