Progressive lawmakers in the House of Representatives have urged their colleagues to make their Statements of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN) public without waiting for formal directives or guidelines.
To date, only 15 out of more than 300 House members have voluntarily disclosed their wealth declarations. This stands in contrast to the 24-member Senate, where all senators have already made their SALNs accessible to the media.
“Hindi po kailangang maghintay ng guidelines. Ang hamon ng Makabayan Bloc sa lahat ng mga mambabatas, even lahat ng public officials, napakadali po na isapubliko ng mga SALN natin,” said Kabataan Partylist Representative Renee Co, emphasizing transparency as a fundamental duty of public service.
Co added that lawmakers can even publish their SALNs on social media to make them more accessible to the public.
Gabriela Partylist Representative Sarah Elago echoed this sentiment, stressing that openness is essential in the current political climate.
“What’s more important is the call of the times and that is the release of SALNs,” she said, adding that the public has long called for greater access to officials’ declarations as a safeguard against unexplained wealth.
Elago noted that there is a strong public demand for tangible measures to ensure transparency and prevent corruption in government.
Kamanggagawa Partylist Representative Eli San Fernando also joined the call, urging not only his fellow lawmakers but also President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and his Cabinet members to release their SALNs.
“Paano magiging transparent ang administrasyon kung sila mismo hindi pinapangunahan ‘yung paglalabas ng SALN?” he asked.
Malacañang previously said that the President is open to disclosing his SALN, in accordance with the Office of the Ombudsman’s guidelines. However, Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin clarified that the executive branch “cannot just allow the indiscriminate freedom to access these SALNs” due to security considerations.
The push for voluntary disclosure, according to progressive lawmakers, is a simple yet powerful step toward building public trust and promoting accountability among those in government service.