Over a special dinner hosted by Chef Waya Araos-Wijangco, this writer had a chance to indulge in a casual conversation with senatorial bet Atty Luke Espiritu of the Partido Lakas ng Masa (PLM) about political dynasties, disinformation, and more.
And Atty. Espiritu is not one to mince words: Political dynasties are at the very root of our democratic decay, and 2025 must be the year Filipinos finally push back.
“Panahon ngayon ng pag-reject sa political dynasty,” Espiritu declared during our “kwentuhan-style” interview, urging voters to see beyond personalities and recognize the system that breeds impunity and inequality.
“If you are against Duterte, for example, are you just against the killings? Because Duterte is simply a manifestation of dynastic rule. Even without him, extrajudicial killings will continue as long as dynasties are in power.”
For Espiritu, the idea of reforming Philippine politics starts by attacking the very structure that has long monopolized it—family-based rule that dominates local and national government offices through coercion, manipulation, and the control of public resources.
But why are political dynasties perpetuated? What makes them attractive or, at least, supported on the surface?
“Political dynasties aren’t attractive—they force consent from the people,” he explained. “If you live in an area controlled by a dynasty, and you oppose them, you get cut off. No livelihood aid, no public health services, no access to PhilHealth because medical funds are turned into pork barrel under their control.”
This is the quiet violence that pervades the system. Insidious, self-perpetuating, hidden in plain sight.
According to Espiritu, political dynasties function like surveillance states, monitoring constituents down to the household level, keeping tabs on dissenters, and using both subtle and overt forms of punishment to maintain control. Even youth voices are being quelled, and social media is weaponized through troll farms and misinformation campaigns to shape public opinion and manufacture consent.
Corrupt officials and moneyed politicians, with the support of their political parties and donors, can afford to pay for costly media like those gargantuan billboards people see along major thoroughfares like EDSA and in national highways. They can pay for airtime; they can even set up their own media company.
He’s also careful to distinguish between two kinds of votes he has encountered during his campaign: one based on principle—found mostly among students and politically aware critical thinkers—and another, more dominant type, driven by the local political machinery and dynastic mobilization. It’s the second kind, he says, that decides who gets to wield power. And for as long as the latter type of vote remains prevalent, there can be no real democracy.
Espiritu’s platform is clear: It’s time to level the playing field. “Let us imagine a world where all things are equal, where candidates don’t have the advantage of guns, goons, gold, or media control. Then voting will be free—not conditioned or coerced.”
His legislative priorities reflect this desire for structural reform. First on the list: pass the long-overdue anti-dynasty law that’s been languishing for more than three decades. Espiritu’s platform also includes deep-rooted social justice programs—genuine land reform, a living wage, eliminating contractualization, support for MSMEs and fisherfolk, low-cost housing, and redirecting investment toward productive, community-driven industries.
“We need to move away from extractive and environmentally destructive practices like mining,” he argued. “We can’t keep exporting raw materials while ignoring the people who grow our food, fish our seas, and build our communities. Supporting them will return a thousand fold.”
But Espiritu isn’t blind to the challenges of confronting a well-oiled dynastic machine. Disinformation, he says, remains a formidable barrier. Still, he refuses to accept the narrative that the electorate is ignorant. “I don’t believe in ‘bobotante.’ The masses are not to blame. They are victims of systemic deceit. And like any victim, they deserve the chance to know the facts and be enlightened.”
His strategy? Consistency and conviction. “We need truth warriors who don’t compromise, even when it’s hard. If you can create that link between the truth and the people, they will see through the lies. Because poverty doesn’t lie. Broken promises don’t lie. Once that connection is made, the illusion breaks.”
This is the heart of Atty Luke Espiritu’s candidacy—a refusal to bow to the political calculus of power blocs and family empires. He believes in grassroots organizing, in the strength of the people outside of the mainstream parties, and in the possibility of a democratic system that isn’t rigged from the start.
“2025 is a battleground,” he said, “and there are forces already tired of dynastic rule. We may not be dominant yet, but we exist. And we are growing.”
Whether the electorate is ready to break free from the chains of tradition remains to be seen.
But if there’s one thing Espiritu is betting on, it’s that Filipinos still have the capacity—and the right—to demand something better.
