Jesus Crispin Remulla marked his first 100 days in office as the seventh Ombudsman of the Republic of the Philippines by reaffirming his commitment to transparency, accountability, and the swift and impartial administration of justice.

From the start of his term, Remulla said the fight against corruption would be pursued without fear or favor. Guided by the principle of “no sacred cows, no exemptions, and no excuses,” he has steered the Office of the Ombudsman toward institutional reforms and action on long-standing and high-impact cases.

In his first week, Remulla issued Memorandum Circular No. 3, Series of 2025, strengthening lawful public access to Statements of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALNs). The policy enhances transparency while upholding due process and existing laws, and allows public access even without the consent of the public official concerned, subject to legal safeguards. A step-by-step guide for SALN requests has also been made publicly available.

Case build-up, investigation, and prosecution efforts were intensified, particularly for long-pending and high-impact cases. Coordination with law enforcement agencies was strengthened to allow prosecutors to engage at the earliest stages of investigation and ensure constitutionally sound cases.

Remulla also prioritized nationwide investigations into alleged irregularities in flood control projects, resulting in the filing of graft and malversation charges over substandard and ghost projects in several provinces.

To bring accountability closer to communities, the Resident Ombudsman Program was revived, enabling immediate fact-finding and faster action in agencies identified as high-risk for corruption.

The Environmental Ombudsman Program was likewise re-established to address corruption linked to environmental violations and hold both public officials and private individuals accountable when acting in conspiracy.

Institutional reforms continued with the issuance of the Revised Rules of Procedure of the Office of the Ombudsman, aimed at reducing delays, clarifying processes, and strengthening due process through firm timelines for fact-finding investigations.

Partnerships were expanded, including a memorandum of agreement with the Anti-Red Tape Authority to address bureaucratic inefficiency and improve ease of doing business.

Remulla also committed to full digitization of services, expanded online filing and payment systems, workforce augmentation through the opening of new lawyer positions, and continuous personnel training. A strategic planning conference, the first in more than a decade, is set for February 2026 to align the institution toward long-term reform.

“These first one hundred days set the tone,” Remulla said. “The work will continue—decisive, impartial, and anchored on the people’s trust.”