Senators, congressmen start releasing SALNs

MANILA, Philippines, October 21 ------ Lawmakers have begun making public their statements of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN), kickstarted by Senators Risa Hontiveros and Robinhood Padilla and by eight members of the opposition in the House of Representatives. In her SALN for 2024, Hontiveros declared a net worth of P18.986 million. Her assets, including both real and personal properties, amounted to P19.884 million, offset by P897,840 in liabilities, primarily a car loan. She also declared interests in Planet Dive resort in Batangas, the New Rural Bank of San Leonardo in Nueva Ecija and La Luna Wholesale Corp. as stockholder, board member and director, respectively.

The deputy majority leader earlier said she has long advocated for public access to officials’ SALNs, describing previous restrictions on disclosure as “unjust, unconstitutional and anti-people.” “Opening up our SALNs is a crucial step toward genuine transparency and accountability, especially at a time when the public is demanding honesty amid corruption controversies,” Hontiveros earlier said. Her disclosure followed a recent memorandum from Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla, which lifted the years-long limits on public access to the wealth declarations of government officials imposed by his predecessor Samuel Martires.

Earlier, Padilla also made his SALN public, declaring a P244 million net worth with no liabilities or debts. Among the properties he declared was a condominium worth P17.9 million. He also owns police-authorized firearms worth P2.2 million. Only eight House members – all from the minority led by Rep. Marcelino Libanan – released copies of their 2025 SALNs.

Akbayan party-list Rep. Chel Diokno declared P13.1 million total assets, while Rep. Percival Cendaña is worth only a million pesos, based on his SALN. Rep. Dadah Ismula of Akbayan party-list declared a net worth of P3.2 million while Rep. Arlene Bag-ao of the lone district of Dinagat Islands in Mindanao declared P15 million in total assets.

Reps. Antonio Tinio of party-list ACT Teachers revealed P10.9 million net worth of assets, while Sara Jane Elago of women’s group Gabriela declared P1.1 million and 27-year-old lawyer Renee Co of Kabataan party-list, P280,000. Rep. Eli San Fernando of Kamanggagawa party-list declared a net worth of P2.2 million. “We urge our fellow colleagues, our colleagues in the House to do the same, to authorize the Secretary General to make public our SALNs. After all, if we are not hiding anything, we can make it public,” San Fernando said in a letter to House secretary-general Cheloy Garafil.

Source: philstar.com