Senator Mark Villar has filed a resolution calling for a Senate investigation into the investment activities of the Maharlika Investment Corporation, the government-owned entity managing the country’s sovereign wealth fund.
The measure, Senate Resolution No. 334, directs the appropriate Senate committee to conduct an inquiry in aid of legislation into the investment and operational activities of the corporation. The proposed investigation aims to determine whether the Maharlika Investment Fund is being managed sustainably, efficiently, and in accordance with its mandate.
In the resolution, Villar noted that recent reports on certain investment transactions have raised questions about whether these deals adequately protect public interest and ensure proper management of the sovereign wealth fund.
Among the transactions cited is the corporation’s reported plan in December 2025 to acquire up to 101,189,675 shares in Asian Terminals Inc., a port operator, at ₱36 per share, amounting to a total investment of about ₱3.64 billion. The investment would give the fund a minority stake in the company.
The acquisition was undertaken in connection with Asian Terminals’ plan to delist from the Philippine Stock Exchange. As of February 2026, reports indicate that the Maharlika Investment Corporation had already spent about ₱2.9 billion, representing approximately 4.62 percent ownership in the company.
The resolution also cited criticism from some quarters that the investment could effectively use public funds to benefit private shareholders without giving the government meaningful control or influence over the company’s operations.
Villar said that while the Maharlika Investment Corporation must be given some flexibility to pursue its investment strategies, the government must still ensure that public funds are managed transparently and that investment decisions ultimately serve the interests of the Filipino people.
The Maharlika Investment Fund Act, enacted in 2023, established the country’s sovereign wealth fund to mobilize state assets for strategic investments aimed at generating returns, supporting economic development, creating jobs, and sustaining long-term growth.
If adopted, the resolution would authorize the Senate to examine the corporation’s investment decisions and determine whether additional safeguards or oversight measures are needed to strengthen accountability in the management of the Maharlika Investment Fund.
