ALL public officials and employees are given only until Aug. 31, 2020 to file their Statement of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN) for the year 2020 in their respective departments, offices or agencies.
The announcement of the 60-day extension from June 30, which was supposed to be the last day of filing, came through the Civil Service Commission (CSC) Memorandum Circular (MC) No. 13 s. of 2020 dated June 22, 2020.
The MC contained guidelines in the filing and submission of the SALN form that the commission will adopt for the year 2020 during the state of public health emergency.
The last day of submission of the SALN forms by all departments, agencies and offices to the appropriate repository agencies is also extended from Aug. 31 to Oct. 31.
Alicia Bala, CSC chairperson, said the online oath-taking of the SALN and the online filing or transmission of a duly executed SALN are allowed subject to certain procedures.
A “duly executed SALN” refers to a SALN that is personally signed under oath before an administering officer or notary public, or that is executed through online oath-taking as recognized by the MC.
For online oath-taking of the SALN, the administering officer or the declarant must initiate an electronic meeting with the declarant or the administering officer, as the case may be, via communication technology such as WebEx, Zoom or Skype, among others.
The administering officer reviews the declarant’s evidence of identity via video, if not personally known to the Administering Officer.
The declarant executes the SALN and affirms the same as his free act and deed, and that the contents thereof are true and correct. The declarant shall execute the SALN by affixing his electronic/digital signature to the electronic SALN, or wet ink signature to the physical SALN, provided the execution or placing of signature is done within sight of the administering officer.
On the same day, the declarant transmits a copy of the original to the administering officer via fax or electronic means. A copy of a physical SALN refers to its scanned copy.
The department, office or agency concerned is also instructed to put in place mechanisms to allow electronic filing of the SALN, and to ensure that these are verifiable and authentic.
The declarant, whether under alternative working arrangement or physically reporting for work, may submit, through electronic means, a duly executed SALN to the concerned department, office or agency. (WBS)