Amid the dominance of political dynasties in the country, the Dapat Isa Lang Movement (D1LM) continued its people’s initiative campaign to pass a genuine anti-political dynasty bill, extending it to digital platforms to increase public access for Davaoeños.

To accelerate the campaign and broaden public participation, Ateneo Public Interest and Legal Advocacy Center (APILA) Director Atty. Romeo Cabarde said the movement had shifted to digital signature gathering, making it easier for people to participate in the petition.

Signatories must prepare their voter registration details, including their registration location for the 2025 elections, a handwritten signature on a blank sheet of paper, a device with internet access, and a selfie holding the signed paper.

Atty. Cabarde reaffirmed Ateneo de Davao University’s (AdDU) support for the passage of the bill, emphasizing the university’s initiative to lead the campaign in Davao City.

“And we decided as Ateneo de Davao, we might as well take the initiative to lead this campaign in Davao City, because inspired by our recent Fortiores 2030, it is replete with a lot of principles related to democracy and participation of the people, and what other way to best reflect that principle if not to lead this campaign,” he said.

D1LM advocates dismantling political dynasties in the country and aims to gather 110,000 signatures across Davao City to meet the required threshold to advance legislation against them.

Samahan ng mga Mag-aaral sa Pamantasang Ateneo de Davao (SAMAHAN) President Mickyla Loriene Almadin emphasized the movement’s role in passing an anti-political dynasty law in the Philippines that seeks to address the concentration of power within families and expand opportunities for other qualified individuals to enter public service.

“Dapat Isa Lang is a movement calling for a genuine anti-political dynasty law here in our country. Its message is rooted in a simple but important principle. Public service should be open to everyone. Not concentrated within a few powerful political families,” she stated.

Almadin further emphasized that public office should be based on an individual’s capacity to serve rather than family name or political influence.

“Sa madaling salita, ang pakakataong mamuno at maglingkod ay hindi dapat nakadepende sa apelyido o sa kapangyarihan ng isang pamilya. Public office is a public trust. It is a responsibility and trusted to individuals who are willing and capable of serving the people. It should never be treated as an inheritance that can simply be passed from one family member to another.”

Meanwhile, Atty. Cabarde highlighted the continued persistence of political dynasties despite the 1987 Philippine Constitution’s provision calling for their prohibition through legislation.

“Sa sulod sa upat ka dekada na, or exactly 39 years, ang atong batakang balaod naka-promise nga wagtangon or gina-dili ang political dynasty. Pero hantod karon nagpabilin na nga promise, a dream. Busa kita sa Dapat Isa Lang, gina-imbita nato ang tanang Dabawenyo, to help turn that promise into a reality,” Atty. Cabarde underscored.

He also outlined the constitutional requirements for a people’s initiative, which allows citizens to directly propose legislation, subject to the applicable legal thresholds.

“As stated in our Constitution, the national threshold that we need to meet is 10% of its total registered voters. In each legislative district, it must be represented by 3% of its registered voters to support a verified and valid petition for initiative,” Cabarde stated.

In line with this, Almadin stressed that enacting an anti-political dynasty law must go beyond merely prohibiting political dynasties and emphasize the need for legislation that ensures equal opportunities in public service.

“Hindi sapat na may batas lamang, mahalaga rin na ang batas na ito ay tunay na tumutugon sa problemang nais nating lutasin. We need legislation that gives qualified and committed individuals a fair opportunity to serve regardless of their family name or political connections.”

The press conference on the relaunch of D1LM in Davao City was held at the Pakighinabi Room at Ateneo de Davao University last October 14.