MANILA — Crispin Jesus Remulla on Monday marked his first 100 days as the country’s seventh Ombudsman, pledging unwavering commitment to transparency, accountability, and the impartial administration of justice.

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

From the start of his term, Remulla emphasized a fight against corruption “without fear or favor,” implementing decisive reforms and taking concrete action on long-standing, high-impact cases.

Within his first week in office, he issued Memorandum Circular No. 3, series of 2025, strengthening lawful public access to Statements of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALNs). The policy allows public access even without the consent of the official concerned, while maintaining legal safeguards, and provides a clear step-by-step guide for requests.

Remulla said the Office of the Ombudsman has intensified investigation and prosecution efforts, especially for long-pending and high-impact cases, and strengthened coordination with law enforcement agencies to ensure strong, constitutionally sound cases from the earliest stages of investigation.

In response to public concern, the Ombudsman has prioritized investigations into flood control projects nationwide, leading to the filing of graft and malversation charges linked to substandard and ghost projects in several provinces.

To enhance accountability, the Resident Ombudsman Program has been revived for faster fact-finding and action in high-risk agencies. The Environmental Ombudsman Program has also been re-established to address corruption connected to environmental violations, targeting both public officials and private individuals acting in conspiracy.

Institutional reforms include the issuance of the Revised Rules of Procedure of the Office of the Ombudsman, designed to reduce delays, clarify processes, and strengthen due process with firm timelines for fact-finding investigations.

Remulla said partnerships have been expanded, including a landmark agreement with the Anti-Red Tape Authority to combat bureaucratic inefficiency and improve ease of doing business.

Looking ahead, the Ombudsman plans full digitization of services, expanded online filing and payment systems, workforce augmentation with new lawyer positions, and ongoing personnel training.