Malacañang said that members of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s Cabinet are set to discuss matters concerning the release of their Statements of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALNs).
During a Palace press briefing, Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro was asked if the Office of the President would make the Cabinet officials’ SALNs public, similar to the practice of past administrations.
“Pag-uusapan po ito ng Cabinet members bukas po, magkakaroon po yata sila ng pagpupulong,” Castro said.
Asked if President Marcos himself would release his SALN voluntarily—like what some lawmakers have done, Castro replied, “Tingnan po natin kung ano po ang nararapat.”
Earlier, in an October 15 interview, Marcos said his SALN would be accessible to anyone who needs it, including the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI), which is currently investigating irregularities in flood control projects.
He added that he would encourage his Cabinet members to do the same.
This comes after Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla issued a memorandum circular lifting restrictions on public access to the SALNs of public officials. The new directive removes the requirement for the owner’s consent before disclosure, among other changes.
However, Remulla clarified that the new rules do not allow unrestricted access to SALNs, emphasizing that requests must still serve public interest and ensure accountability of both officials and requesters. Personal information will also be redacted before release.
The new policy reverses the 2020 memorandum of former Ombudsman Samuel Martires, which had tightly limited public access to officials’ SALNs by requiring their consent prior to disclosure.
