President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has directed Congress to prioritize four major reform measures: the Anti-Dynasty Bill, the Independent People’s Commission Act, the Party-list System Reform Act, and the Citizens Access and Disclosure of Expenditures for National Accountability (CADENA).
The move comes at a time when questions over the administration’s anti-corruption credibility have intensified, prompting critics to view the sudden urgency as politically motivated.
Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) President Renato Reyes Jr. welcomed the prioritization but sharply criticized the timing, saying progressive groups have long been pushing for these reforms.
“Matagal nang isinusulong ng Makabayan ang mga panukalang batas para ipagbawal ang political dynasties, ireporma ang party-list system na na-highjack na ng mga mayayaman, ang higit na transparency sa gobyerno at mas mahigpit na pananagutan o accountability ng mga opisyal nito,” Reyes said.
He argued that it took a deep political crisis at the highest levels of government before Marcos acted.
“Kinailangan pa ng isang malalang krisis sa pulitika bago ginawang prayoridad ang mga ito ni Marcos. Kinailangan pang tumalim ang krisis sa kredibilidad ng anti-corruption efforts ni Marcos bago siya gumalaw,” Reyes added.
Reyes emphasized that the Makabayan bloc is prepared to push the measures through committee hearings, plenary votes, and even mass mobilizations in the streets.
He warned that failure to pass meaningful reforms would only deepen perceptions of Marcos as a “lame duck” president.
The Anti-Dynasty Bill has languished in Congress for decades, despite being mandated by the 1987 Constitution. Similarly, calls to reform the party-list system have grown louder as business interests and political clans increasingly dominate seats meant for marginalized groups. Transparency measures like CADENA echo long-standing demands for stricter accountability in government spending.
Political observers note that while Marcos’ directive signals recognition of public pressure, the real test lies in whether Congress, itself dominated by political dynasties and entrenched interests, will allow these bills to move forward.
Committee hearings are expected to be contentious, with progressive groups promising to mobilize public support. The administration’s credibility on anti-corruption and reform now hinges on whether these measures can survive the legislative gauntlet.
For Reyes and Bayan, the stakes are clear: if Congress fails to deliver, Marcos risks being remembered not as a reformer, but as a president weakened by his own hesitation. (ZIA LUNA)
