President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has expressed his readiness to make his Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN) public, affirming that members of his Cabinet should do the same following the Office of the Ombudsman’s decision to reopen access to the documents.
In an interview with Palace reporters on Wednesday, Marcos welcomed Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla’s move to reverse a previous directive that had restricted public access to officials’ SALNs. “Finally,” the President remarked when asked about the decision, as quoted by ABS-CBN News.
“We will follow the old rules,” he said, referring to the reinstated system that once made it easier for the public to obtain and examine government officials’ wealth declarations. “These old rules were suspended in the last administration where the SALN was… much easier to get a copy of and to examine,” he added.
Marcos also admitted he was surprised that access to the documents had been tightened, noting that it became “almost impossible” to obtain an official’s SALN during that period. He vowed to comply fully with the restored process.
“My SALN… will be available as available to whoever would like to—kung bigyan—hingiin sa akin ng ICI, eh ‘di siyempre ibibigay ko. Kung hingiin sa akin ng Ombudsman, ng ano, ibibigay namin,” he said.
The renewed transparency policy follows the Ombudsman’s reversal of a 2020 circular issued by former Ombudsman Samuel Martires, which required written and notarized consent from an official before their SALN could be released.
Lawmakers have welcomed the policy shift, viewing it as a crucial tool in promoting accountability and detecting possible corruption. House Infrastructure Committee Co-Chair Terry Ridon noted that SALNs help establish a “baseline determination of actual wealth,” allowing the public to compare an official’s declared assets with their income and position.
