On 12 May 2025, Filipinos participated in a crucial midterm election, widely seen not only as a referendum on the leadership of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. but also as a defining moment for the future of Vice President Sara Duterte. The stakes were remarkably high as over 18,000 national and local positions were contested, including seats in the House of Representatives and the influential Philippine Senate. However, beyond the numbers and formal processes, this election exposed deepening fault lines within the political establishment, largely embodied by the growing rift between two of the country’s most powerful dynasties. The disintegration of the Marcos-Duterte alliance, which had delivered a landslide victory in the 2022 general elections, set the stage for a highly charged electoral atmosphere. Their split has transformed what was once a seemingly invincible coalition into a bitter political rivalry, reshaping alliances, political strategies, and the broader democratic landscape of the Philippines.

In May 2022, a unique and unsettling political alliance emerged in the Philippines: the heirs of two presidents paired up in a historic bid to run the country. Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the son of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr., joined forces with Sara Duterte, daughter of President Rodrigo Duterte, in the national election. Taking full advantage of their family prominence, the Marcos-Duterte tandem showcased the continued dominance of political dynasties in Philippine governance. Experts on Philippine politics point out that between 70% and 90% of elected offices in the country are controlled by influential families.

Richard Heydarian, a specialist in Philippine politics, observes that the erosion of democracy is worsening due to the merging of political dynasties with the celebrity elite, which consists of former actors, TV figures, and sports personalities. He argues that these elite groups monopolize national office, effectively barring ordinary Filipinos who may possess the merit and passion to serve from fully participating in governance due to systemic exclusion. Among the dynasties shaping the country’s political landscape, the Marcos family remains one of the most controversial. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is the son of former dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr., whose rule from 1965 to 1986 was marked by martial law, rampant corruption, and widespread human rights abuses. Despite this legacy, Marcos Jr. has employed a strategic media campaign to reframe his family history. Using social media platforms, particularly TikTok and YouTube, Marcos Jr. narrates well-produced videos portraying his father as a nation builder and his mother, Imelda Marcos, as a generous patron. These portrayals emphasize infrastructure development, agricultural innovation, and national unity, all presented as hallmarks of a supposed golden age.

Scholars and critics, however, reject this revisionism. Paul Hutchcroft of the Australian National University describes Marcos Sr.’s rule as characterized by

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