August 30, 2025
MANILA – Malacañang said on Friday that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is willing to make public his statement of assets, liabilities, and net worth (SALN) if circumstances require, in connection with the government’s investigation into alleged anomalies in multibillion-peso flood control projects.
Presidential press officer Claire Castro told reporters that the administration’s priority is to hold accountable officials linked to the questionable projects, cautioning against turning the issue into a political spectacle.
Her statement came after Senate Deputy Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros urged the President to set an example by releasing his own SALN, saying it would strengthen the administration’s credibility in enforcing lifestyle checks.
Lifestyle Checks for All
Castro explained that Marcos and members of the executive branch are prepared to undergo lifestyle checks. “If there is a lifestyle check, whether the President will be the first or the last, that’s included,” she said, stressing that the chief executive is not exempt.
Pressed further on whether the President would release his SALN, she replied: “If it is necessary. All members of the executive are ready for a lifestyle check.”
Hontiveros welcomed the President’s directive but said it would be more meaningful if he voluntarily disclosed his own assets. She also pledged to release hers, noting that it would reflect her “middle-class status.” The progressive Makabayan bloc in the House of Representatives, meanwhile, warned that refusing a lifestyle check could cast doubt on the administration’s transparency drive.
President’s Past Position on SALN
Marcos has previously expressed reluctance to disclose his SALN. During the 2022 campaign, he said that making SALNs public should depend on their purpose, warning that they could be misused for political attacks. He cited the 2012 impeachment of then-Chief Justice Renato Corona—whom he voted to acquit—as an example.
In 2012, Marcos declared a net worth of ₱437.24 million, ranking as the third wealthiest senator at the time, after Manuel Villar and Ralph Recto.
Senators: Lifestyle Checks Must Apply Across the Board
Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri on Friday underscored that lifestyle checks should cover all officials, elected or appointed. “We are not exempt from these lifestyle checks,” he said, questioning how some politicians manage to own luxury cars despite limited official income.
He added that officials’ declared wealth should align with their tax records and sources of income. Zubiri also pushed for a third-party body, possibly including civil society groups, to conduct the checks, citing concerns about entrenched corruption in agencies like the Bureau of Internal Revenue and Bureau of Customs.
