POLITICAL DYNASTIES: A STUDY ON THE EFFECTS AND INFLUENCE OF
POLITICAL DYNASTIES ON THE VOTING PREFERENCES OF NEW VOTERS
FROM AGES 18 TO 20 YEAR OLDS AMONG POLITICAL SCIENCE STUDENTS OF
SAINT VINCENT’S COLLEGE INCORPORATED
A Thesis presented to the Faculty of the Arts, Sciences and Teacher Education Department of
Saint Vincent’s College Incorporated
Dipolog City
In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the subject; Introduction to Political Analysis
and Research
Jean Klitzku T. Recamara
Dawn Gilead T. Bait-it
1st Semester
S.Y. 2024 – 2025
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INTRODUCTION
Political dynasties are family groups that maintain political power across generations,
often through multiple members holding office simultaneously or consecutively. They can
exist at various levels of government (local, state, national) and across different regions of the
country. Political dynasties’ influence can extend into shaping political party dynamics,
policies, impacting governance and public administration, and as well as the electoral
outcome. They often intersect with socio-economic status, leveraging wealth and social
connections in order to maintain their power.
Political Dynasties have become a natural occurrence in the Philippine political
landscape, it has garnered an almost irrevocable effect on how politics work in this country,
often being an effective tool used by politicians seeking to create a legacy or further a political
career. The use of Political Dynasties as a means for a landslide victory in elections is not
always objective, albeit a rare occurrence, it often depends on how this dynasty performs
within the tenure of their term in a municipality, city in one, if not all, the major branches of
the government. It is a contested debate among lawmakers and citizens alike as to whether
Political Dynasties are a good or bad thing to have.
Although it is undeniable that some political dynasties have contributed to the
betterment of the country, the question remains; Do Political Dynasties promote progress and
embody the ideals and aspirations of the people as stated in the preamble of the constitution?
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New voters or young voters are often influenced by their social environment, including
family, peers, and community leaders. This research analyzes how political dynasties shape the
perception of new voters on politics which can provide insights into their political socialization
process. Here in the Philippines, young voters, commonly, are easily moved by words,
propagandas, and the platforms of these political families and, consequently, they change their
thought process on political preferences, they are easily influenced by these because most of
them are not (yet) aware of this campaign style. Young voters would end up choosing
household political names rather than choosing those who are, in terms of history and
background, much better choices for government positions. Political dynasties may foster either
engagement or apathy among young voters. If these voters perceive dynastic politics as
synonymous with entrenched power and corruption, they might feel disillusioned and less
likely to participate in elections. With the rise of social media, young voters are more exposed
to political “mind-conditioning”. Understanding how dynasties utilize these platforms can shed
light on their strategies to influence this demographic. Examining the relationship between
political dynasties and young voters can highlight potential threats to democratic ideals, such as
equal representation and competition. It raises questions about the accessibility of the political
arena for new voters.
In this research paper, we will be diving into the machinations of political dynasties, its
origins and how they are established, why voters often vote for them, how they affect
elections, and how it influences new voters’ preferences especially among 18- to 20-year-olds
of the Political Science department of Saint Vincent’s College Incorporated. At the same time,
the researchers aim to provide a wider perspective on the effects of political dynasties in the
socio-political fields of Philippine governance.
BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
This study is a product of a repeatedly asked question, and a heavily debated topic
among lawmakers, and citizens alike, particularly among the younger demographic. The main
reason why this topic became the subject of this study is because Political Dynasties are a
common phenomenon in the Philippine political environment. For decades, Political
Dynasties have become a crucial force in winning an election, maintaining political power,
and furthering a political legacy or career, either through association or endorsements. The
researchers aim to provide a glimpse into the dynamics and framework of political dynasties
in influencing new voters.
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SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
This study provides insightful data on the impact of political dynasties on the voting
preferences of newly registered voters among the political science students at Saint Vincent’s
College Incorporated of ages 18-20 years old. Through this study, the researchers will shed light
on the framework, and tools used by political dynasties in influencing young voters, fostering a
more informed and engaged electoral process amidst constant dynastic politics, and providing an
avenue for future studies to further establish an already widening understanding of the plays of
political dynasties. It provides valuable insights into the dynamics of power, influence, and
democratic participation in contemporary politics among new voters of the Political Science
students at Saint Vincent’s College Incorporated. Among those who will benefit from this study
are the following;
1. Students: Through this study, students are given an avenue to explore the concepts
and dynamics of political dynasties in the Philippines, and in a way, benefit from the
information provided here such as establishing an understanding of the mechanisms
of dynastic politics.
2. Local/National Policymakers: In a way, policymakers will benefit from this study as
they are provided with a wide range of perspectives and insights from voters
themselves so that they can create policies that benefit the people and, in a way,
decrease the number and influence of dynastic politicians locally or nationally.
3. Future Researchers: Future Researchers may benefit from this study as it provides a
starting point for them when they explore the conceptual areas of Political Dynasties
and its influence on Filipinos or politics in general.
4. Existing Voters and Future Voters: Both existing and future voters will benefit from
this study because its valuable insights into the dynamics of the power and influence
of political dynasties fosters in them a sense of democratic participation. This study
also enables them to weigh in their decisions, and in this study, they are given a
means to understand how they may be susceptible, if not already, to the effects of
Political Dynasties.
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SCOPE AND DELIMITATIONS
This study revolves around the concept of Political Dynasties. A Political Dynasty is a
political phenomenon in which members of a family engage in the political spectrum,
particularly in electoral politics wherein members of the same family hold office simultaneously
or consecutively spanning often for several generations. The dimensions explored in this study
involves historical, and psychological contexts, avenues such as social media influences, and
the effects of propaganda are included in this study. The views of this study are both
empirical and theoretical and focuses on factors that affect and influence new voters’ election
preferences such as peer influence, and media narrative framing, and such. The researchers,
however, will not explore the vast economic concepts tied to the topic of this study as it does not
pose any significance and relevance, this also includes business relations of political dynasties.
The researchers conducted this study within Saint Vincent’s College Incorporated Main Campus,
Dipolog City with the target respondents being Political Science students of the ages 18 to 20
years old who are also registered voters. The duration of the conducting of this study is limited to
the period of the first semester of the academic calendar, specifically, during the midterms until
finals quarter.
CHAPTER II
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
2.1 INTRODUCTION
Political Dynasties have been the status quo in the Philippine political arena. It is common to see
two or more relatives in government positions serving simultaneously or consecutively. As an
inquisitive individual, one would ask; why is this the case?
2.2 The Origins of Political Dynasties
Historically, the Philippines, was ruled by datus or a chief, as tribes were divided to barangays
(settlements), this form of government was, as was common of the time, hereditary, in a sense it
was a monarchic form of government but in a minute scale. When the Spaniards returned after
Ferdinand Magellan, they eventually instituted the reduccion (reduction) system, in which the
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Inajeros, J. A. (2013)
Teng, C. (2023)
centralized authority and abolished the datus-led barangays. As compensation for giving up their
barangays, the datus were given positions as "gobernadorcillio" (little governor) and "cabeza de
barangay" (barangay head) in their local government. In addition, they were bestowed the status
of "principalÍa" (principality) as members of the indigenous nobility holding significant estates.
According to Juan Antonio Inarejos, these newly installed principalla were tasked with taxation
and labor enforcement, unsurprisingly, they exploited their positions and exercised extortion, and
other corrupt practices. They enriched themselves and gained religious favors from the friars as
they donated and sold public lands to them. As with their former pre-colonial status were
hereditary, so were their principalla status. As a consequence, the Spaniards inadvertently
established the roots of political dynasties in as early as the 16 th century, and the Americans
codified them in the 20th century by restricting suffrage and government positions to Americans
and members of the Principalla. As a result, the foundations of Political Dynasties were fortified
and ratified.
2.3 Social Media Influencers, Propaganda, and Peer influence
The Philippines is known as the online capital of the world and because of this, social media
plays a crucial role in the everyday life of young voters or future voters even new voters. Social
media is an integral part of an everyday Filipino’s routine, and because of this, political dynasties
are provided with a very wide medium to exercise their propagandas, and advertisements. Social
media influencers are part of a growing and emerging political tool for elections.
In the recent 2022 national elections, bloggers, personalities, netizens, and Facebook pages
played a significant role in boosting their chosen candidate’s reputation and reach. Some
dynasties have utilized propaganda, take for example the Marcos campaign, some Facebook
Pages have resorted to historical revisionism and fake news either to bolster their candidate or
discredit an opponent. Personalities like Daryl Yap, Thinking Pinoy, and many others used their
platforms to promote the campaign of the now-president Ferdinand Marcos Jr., through skits,
vlogs, infographics, and information videos. Through the collective efforts of these vloggers and
social media persons, the Marcos campaign gained a large-scale following among netizens, both
young and, mostly, old voters alike. This shows how social media is a critical tool for political
dynasties to boost their reputation and sugar-coat their names. Large and “hypervisible” online
personalities attract the attention of the so-called social media trolls, which are known to be the
pawns of these personalities, these are individuals who hide their identity through fake names
and accounts. The influence these persons have is not due to their expertise in their field but
rather due to their cultural relativity to viewers that reaches beyond politics, their relevance is the
driving force that boosts their political capital. This makes them an integral tool in maintaining
crowd control, crown indoctrination, and political mind-conditioning.
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Inajeros,J. A. (2013) Pellicer et al. (2020): Shala et al. (2018)
Teng, C. (2023) Kroger (2004)
Gaw, F.: Arugay, J. A. (2013)
Elrick, R. (2024)
Another useful medium for garnering favor with the masses is propaganda, albeit almost archaic,
it is still an effective method in influencing younger, easily swayed voters who lack information
about current political issues surrounding their local Political Dynasties. Propaganda is false
information, deliberately spread to cause harm or boost a political cause. Political dynasties often
resort to social bandwagons to establish relevance, with the use of medias such as Facebook, a
popular social app in the Philippines, political dynasties are given an avenue to operate their
propagandas such as false legacies, and historical revisionism, often discrediting factual
information as a means to boost their image and make themselves presentable to the public eye.
Apart from social media and propaganda, new voters are influenced by their social environment,
particularly in the family, among peers, and association with social groups. Given how today’s
generation are so idealistic, it’s highly possible that they would embrace politics that align with
their own views, though there is more complexity behind their thought process, things like
gender sensitivity, racial indifference, social liberty, environmental awareness, and liberalism,
that are pushed forth by various socio-political groups are what sparks their interest most. This
may be due to their desire to find common ground with their peers, they are keener to prefer a
candidate who embraces the same views as they do, views of which can be used by political
dynasties as a façade to win them over.
As younger voters begin to develop their identity, they tend to seek validation from others, of
which are provided by their peers. This results in political dynasties utilizing a script that caters
to the ideals of new voters for their campaign to win their votes, it’s easy to influence younger
voters with words because most of them aren’t yet aware of the tactics used by political
dynasties, that is, putting on a show, this due to the lack of voter education in the country, and
that of the educational crisis still prevalent today. As younger voters want to make a difference,
they would lean towards the politician who relates with them the most.
2.4 The behavioral context of influence on voters
As social media and peer influence affect voter preference and perception, one may inquire as to
what causes younger voters to be influenced by methods used by political dynasties. According
to Adoption Behavior theory, individuals adopt behaviors or attitudes associated with posts by
their communities from social media. This happens because they perceive such as relatable to
their identity, and consequently they adopt these behaviors to identify themselves with their
online communities.
To explain the phenomenon of social media influence further by Narrative Framing. Social
media can influence voter perception through narrative storytelling, wherein they present an
issue with a protagonist, antagonist, conflict, and resolution. An example for Narrative Framing
is that of the Historical Revisionism on the Marcos Sr. legacy, wherein the late dictator is
portrayed as a hero who declared martial law to combat the spread of communism, and heralding
the dawn of the
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Langley, D. J.: Pols, N.: Ortt, R. (2005)
University of Edinburgh (2022)
Golden Age of Philippine governance, and economic prosperity, and national security. This
propaganda is, however, far from the truth. The fact that, up until now, people still maintain this
idea is evidence of the lasting effects of propaganda.
2.5 Conclusion
Social media and propaganda are tools used by politicians who stem from Political
dynasties with that they establish their façade and image to the masses through sugar-coated,
catchy, and relatable advertisements and promotions. To the young voter, this charismatic style of
politics is attractive and intriguing, and this opens up a pathway to influence them. An important
factor in the process of influence is through social relations, the more popular the movement is,
the more people it garners, and in the process, as new voters want to belong, and seek validation
from peers or even family members, they open themselves up to the indoctrination of dynastic
politics. As adoption behavior theory implies, these young voters see, observe, apply, and in the
process, conform to the popular. This is a result of their developing sense of belonging, and
social life, by exploiting this, political dynasties can insert their identity into the mental
mechanics of these young voters. As they slowly fall into the idea as influenced by their peers,
this new-found idea of Political Dynasties is then grounded even further through a psychological
phenomenon called “narrative framing” wherein political dynasties dispel accusations by
portraying themselves as the “good guys” of their story. Consequently, younger voters easily fall
into the bandwagon of dynastic politics due to their vulnerable nature, being new to the political
landscape, they enter with an open mind and in turn allow diverse ideas to come. With the ever
growing medium of social media, it is inevitable that dynastic politics may still run through the
fields of Philippine politics.
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CHAPTER III
METHODOLOGY
3.1 INTRODUCTION
This chapter outlines the framework of the methodology of the study. Details such as the;
Research Design, Sampling Procedure, Research Instrument, Data Collection Procedure, and
Ethical Considerations can be found here. The aforementioned framework will be discussed and
explained, providing an outline of the correlating factors and information of the respective parts
of the document. This is an integral part of the study as it layers the foundations that gives the
study its integrity and credibility as a source of information for further research on the matter of
Political Dynasties.
3.2 RESEARCH DESIGN
This study utilizes a combination of the Empirical, Theoretical, and Phenomenological
designs in its approach in understanding the effects and influence of Political Dynasties on new
voters.
EMPIRICAL DESIGN: This method is utilized as this research requires real-life
evidence and observable data in gathering information about the effects of Political Dynasties. In
this sense, the researchers can provide data through observation, direct experiences from
participants, at the same time, are equipped with the latest information about the topic as
experienced by participants. This design is included due to the nature of the utilization of
interviews and administering of questionnaires which can gather data based on the perspectives
of participants.
THEORETICAL DESIGN: The use of this design is grounded at the fact that this
research includes a psychological approach in understanding influence, in this case, the influence
Political Dynasties have on young voters. In this sense, since influence is seen in a psychological
lens, theories are utilized to enable the researchers to understand, with the help of existing and
relevant theories, how Political Dynasties influence young voters in a psychological level, at
least through a sound theoretical level
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PHENOMENOLOGICAL DESIGN: The design is used because the researchers want
to establish a level of understanding on the phenomenon of Political Dynasties as experienced by
them, and the participants through data gathered from interviews and examination of
participants’ experience and insights to shed light on how they are influenced individually by
Political Dynasties.
3.3 RESEARCH ENVIRONMENT
The immediate environment of this study is within the population of registered voters
among Political Science students aged 18 to 20 at Saint Vincent’s College Incorporated, Dipolog
City, in the province of Zamboanga del Norte, Philippines.
POLITICAL SCIENCE STUDENTS: This demographic has been chosen as the sample
population because Political Science students tend to be more aware and conscious of
political issues, and in turn, are more insightful than most when it comes to Political
Dynasties, giving researchers a diverse set of perspectives to work with, since their views
vary from each other.
AGE RANGE OF 18 TO 20: This criterion is placed largely because most Political
Science students are likely developing a sense for political relevance and belonging,
making them a bull’s eye for dynastic politics’ influential campaign strategies, in this
case, they provide fresh insights into their mental mechanics in perceiving political
dynasties.
REGISTERED VOTER(S): This specification is implemented because the researchers
view the insights of registered voters, at least in this matter, as more relevant and holds
deeper ground in their reasoning owing to an unfiltered expression of perspective(s).
3.4 RESEARCH SAMPLING PROCEDURE
This study uses a Purposive Sampling method as it focuses on a specific target group
(Political Science Students aged 18 to 20 years old) as a result, the following features are
applied;
1. Population Estimate: Given that Political Science Students have one of the
lowest populations in the school’s program, it is estimated that the population
of students who can vote are 20 out of 30.
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2. Sampling Frame: This framework will consist of students who are actually
registered voters and are 18 to 20 years of age.
3. Inclusions and Exclusions:
Inclusion Criteria: Students who are registered Sangguniang Kabataan
voters but are not yet eligible to vote for Local executive, and National
elections are included since they are already subject to influence by Dynastic
Politics in the Sangguniang Kabataan level.
Exclusion Criteria: Students who do not yet reach the age criteria of 18 to 20
years old, and students who are above 20 years old since their insights are not
as relevant to the study.
3.5 Research Instrument
The researchers need an instrument to find, gather, and analyze the data given by
the target respondents. With this, the researchers use interviews and questionnaires since
the study is all about asking the subjects or the respondents how political dynasties
influence their voting preference, the target respondents are very few as it only focuses on
Political science students that are young specifically ages 18 to 20 years old and are
newly registered voters.
Interviews are one of the methods that will used in collecting the data needed for
this study. The researchers chose this method because the research is qualitative, and the
research questions answer is subjective since it talks about the participants opinion or
preference. This method is also chosen as through interviews, the researchers are able to
gather information through their experiences and insight, how they are affected by
Political Dynasties, this also allows the researchers to approach this topic in an ethical
way, and in a way, the researchers can evaluate, probe, and clarify responses from
participants in order to gather concise, clear, and detailed information.
Another method that the researchers chose is the questionnaire. The
Questionnaire method gathers significant data using a set of structured questions which
typically seeks answers or data from participants. Although the questionnaire method is
often used in the quantitative type of research, it can also be used in qualitative research
provided it is an open-ended question. Open ended questions mean that the participants
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can answer the questions with their personal insights and perspective rather than using a
predetermined set of options.
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3.6 Data Collection Procedure
The study explores how political dynasties influence the voting preference of new
registered voters of the Political Science Department of Saint Vincent’s College Incorporated
ages 18 to 20 years old. It is important because for decades in the Philippines, we are largely
governed by politically inclined families both locally and nationally. The researchers seek to
shed light and establish an understanding on how these families affect and influence young
voters.
To gather data, the researchers employ the use of questionnaires wherein the participants
are provided with a series of questions that allows them to detail their direct or indirect
experiences with Political Dynasties. Their insights about how political dynasties might
influence their voting preferences will be queried as these questions are open-ended, meaning the
participants are ask subjective questions that require them to express their insights on the matter
at hand. Another method used to establish understanding on the phenomenological aspect of this
study is through interviews wherein participants are asked a series of questions that will shed
light on their perceptions and thinking process towards Political Dynasties and how it influences
their voting preferences. The data gathered through these will then be identified, classified,
interpreted, and segregated based on the commonality of their responses.
3.7 Ethical Consideration
In conducting this research, the researchers establish a set of principles that can guide
them in achieving data. This includes the following.
ANONYMITY: When conducting interviews and giving out questionnaires, the
respondents will be given the freedom to provide their names or not, respecting
their individual privacy, and establishing a safe atmosphere in conducting data
collection.
CONFIDENTIALITY: Respondents’ rights to privacy is to be held with utmost
respect and upheld in high regard.
INFORMED CONSENT: The researchers will not conduct interviews nor hand
out questionnaires without the informed consent of respondents, this is to ensure
that upon conducting data gathering procedures, the rights and autonomy of the
individual respondents are not jeopardized.
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SAMPLE QUESTIONS FOR QUESTIONNAIRES
1. Are you aware of any local Political Dynasties in your city/province/municipality?
YES NO
2. Do you think political dynasties are necessary? Why?
3. Do you feel inclined to vote for dynastic politicians if you learn your family is?
4. Do you think political dynasties should be outlawed? Why?
5. If you saw a post on a major social media platform (e.g. Facebook, X, TikTok, etc.)
about your local political dynasty having displayed their achievements throughout
their terms, would you be inclined to vote for them based only on that information
you saw online? Elaborate.
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SAMPLE INTERVIEW QUESTIONS
1. What do you think of the current Political Dynasty that “rules” your locality?
2. Would you vote for them in upcoming elections? Why?
3. If you learn about a certain issue (pending criminal case) about your favorite
politician who happens to belong to a political dynasty, and they run for office, will
your perception of that politician change? In what way? (interviewer may provide
follow-up questions for clarity if necessary)
4. How often do you use social media and in turn how often do you come across a
political advertisement? Do you take time to read/watch such? Why?
5. Do you feel as though you are compelled to vote for dynastic politicians just because
your friends and family are voting for them all the same? Why do you say so?
(interviewer may ask follow-up questions if necessary)
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