Three lawmakers from the Akbayan party-list group have taken the lead in promoting transparency by publicly releasing their Statements of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALNs). They urged their fellow legislators to do the same, especially as President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has ordered lifestyle checks on government officials.
“We respectfully call on fellow lawmakers – especially House colleagues – to join us in this effort. Let us take this crucial step together to rebuild people’s trust and strengthen democracy,” the Akbayan representatives said in a joint statement.
Dinagat Islands Rep. Arlene Bag-ao joined party-list Reps. Chel Diokno, Percival Cendaña, and Dadah Ismula in making their declarations accessible to the public.
“At a time when trust in government is at its lowest, words are not enough. We, as public servants, must show through concrete action that transparency and accountability are more than promises – they are obligations,” they added.
The lawmakers also committed to making their SALN disclosures a “regular” practice moving forward.
Based on their declarations, Bag-ao reported assets amounting to ₱15 million. Diokno followed with ₱13.1 million, while Ismula declared ₱3.2 million, and Cendaña, ₱1 million.
