On October 21, 2025, a wave of transparency swept through the Philippine legislature as several senators and members of the House of Representatives began releasing their statements of assets, liabilities, and net worth—commonly known as SALNs. This move, which many see as a significant step toward greater government accountability, comes after years of restricted public access to such documents.
Senate Deputy Majority Leader Risa Hontiveros was among the first to make her 2024 SALN public. According to Philstar, Hontiveros declared a net worth of P18.986 million, with assets totaling P19.884 million and liabilities amounting to P897,840, primarily from a car loan. Her declaration also listed interests in Planet Dive resort in Batangas, New Rural Bank of San Leonardo in Nueva Ecija, and La Luna Wholesale Corp., where she serves as stockholder, board member, and director, respectively.
Hontiveros has long advocated for public access to officials’ SALNs, describing previous restrictions as "unjust, unconstitutional and anti-people." She emphasized, "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." Her words, echoed by many, have gained renewed relevance as the country grapples with persistent questions about corruption and public trust.
Following Hontiveros' lead, Senator Robinhood Padilla also disclosed his 2024 SALN. According to Philstar, Padilla declared a net worth of P244 million, with no liabilities or debts. His assets include a condominium valued at P17.9 million and police-authorized firearms worth P2.2 million. The size of Padilla’s declared wealth and the absence of liabilities quickly drew public attention, further fueling debates about the financial standing of public officials.
The push for transparency was not limited to the Senate. In the House of Representatives, eight minority members, led by Rep. Marcelino Libanan, released their 2025 SALNs. Among them, Akbayan party-list Rep. Chel Diokno declared P13.1 million in assets, while Rep. Percival Cendaña reported a net worth of just P1 million. Rep. Dadah Ismula of Akbayan party-list listed P3.2 million, and Rep. Arlene Bag-ao from the lone district of Dinagat Islands in Mindanao declared P15 million in total assets. Other notable disclosures included Rep. Antonio Tinio of ACT Teachers with P10.9 million, Sara Jane Elago of Gabriela with P1.1 million, lawyer Renee Co of Kabataan party-list with P280,000, and Rep. Eli San Fernando of Kamanggagawa party-list with P2.2 million.
San Fernando, in a letter to House secretary general Cheloy Garafil, urged his colleagues to follow suit: "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." His call reflects a growing sentiment among lawmakers that voluntary disclosure is both a duty and a shield against suspicion.
This sudden openness did not happen in a vacuum. The recent flurry of SALN releases was prompted by a memorandum from Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla, who lifted the years-long restrictions on public access to government officials’ wealth declarations. These limits had been imposed by Remulla’s predecessor, Samuel Martires, sparking criticism from transparency advocates and the public alike. The policy reversal has been widely welcomed as a return to the principles of open governance.
Vice President Sara Duterte also weighed in on the issue during an interview with SMNI. She stated, "My SALN has long been available to the media, especially to the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism and even to chief critic former senator Antonio Trillanes IV." Duterte added, "I am studying why these stories are coming out. I am sure there is a reason for that." Her comments suggest a degree of skepticism about the timing of the renewed focus on SALN disclosures, but she maintained that her own records have never been hidden from public scrutiny.
Meanwhile, momentum continued to build in the Senate. Senate President Vicente Sotto III confirmed, as reported by The Philippine Star, that he had already released his SALN to the Office of the Senate Secretary, with copies pending public release. Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson revealed that his net worth had surged from nearly P59 million when he left the Senate on June 30, 2022, to almost P245 million by 2025. Lacson attributed this dramatic increase to successful real estate and trading business ventures during his time out of government from 2022 to 2025. "When I left the Senate in 2022, along with two business partners, we engaged in some legitimate and successful real estate, trading business activities, hence the substantial spike in my net worth," Lacson told reporters. He also pledged to provide further details of his 2025 SALN, including his income tax returns for 2023 and 2024, once available.
Finance Committee Chairman Senator Sherwin Gatchalian added his voice to the chorus of transparency advocates, expressing his willingness to release his SALN to the public as soon as it is ready. This willingness from senior senators signals a cultural shift in the upper chamber, where the release of wealth declarations has historically been met with hesitation or outright resistance.
The renewed push for transparency has not gone unnoticed by the public. Many see this as a much-needed antidote to the erosion of trust in government institutions. The move also comes at a time when the Philippines is wrestling with high-profile corruption controversies, making the demand for openness all the more urgent. While some critics argue that public disclosure of SALNs is not a panacea for corruption, few deny that it is a critical tool for holding officials accountable.
Of course, the disclosures have also raised questions. Why did some officials’ net worths increase so dramatically in just a few years? What business interests do lawmakers maintain while in office? And will full transparency become the norm, or will the momentum fade once the headlines recede?
For now, the willingness of lawmakers to lay bare their finances marks a pivotal moment. The public, watchdog groups, and the media will be watching closely to see if this spirit of openness endures—and if it leads to more substantive reforms in the future.
As the dust settles on this most recent chapter in the long-running debate over transparency and accountability, one thing is clear: the era of secretive wealth declarations in the Philippine legislature may finally be drawing to a close, but the story of public trust is far from finished.