BSP officials highest paid gov't officials in 2023 — COA

MANILA, Philippines — Officials of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas were the top highest paid officials in 2023, according to a recent report of the Commission on Audit (COA) released on Thursday.

The state auditors' report on salaries and allowances revealed that 12 officials of the central bank are among the highest earners in the government, with BSP Gov. Eli Remolona emerging as the top-paid official in the country, receiving a total of P35,478,813.42 in salaries and allowances.

After Remolona, former central bank governor Felipe Medalla comes next, with earnings totaling P34,172,508.34.

Ranking from third to twelfth are members of the BSP's monetary board and other senior assistant governors of the central bank.

Following the BSP officials, Supreme Court (SC) Associate Justice Alfredo Benjamin Caguioa ranks 13th, with salaries and allowances totaling P19,648,395.90.

Caguioa leads as the highest-paid official in the Supreme Court, earning P19,648,395.90. Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo follows in the 18th position, with earnings totaling P16,317,567.20, while Associate Justice Antonio Kho Jr. ranks 19th, with earnings amounting to P16,080,538.60.

Other SC officials are also in the top 50.

Meanwhile, former Justice secretary and now-Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra placed 14th in the list, with salaries and allowances amounting to P17,812,501.39. 

The following are the top 30 highest-paid government officials in the country, according to COA:

• Remolona, Eli Jr. Mendiola (BSP) - P35,478,813.42
• Medalla, Felipe Manguiat (BSP) - P28,050,030.52
• Fonacier, Chuchi Gali (BSP) - P26,003,043.94
• Aquino, Anita Linda Ramos (BSP) - P25,049,655.04
• Tolentino, Victor Bruce Jularbal (BSP) - P24,746,656.26
• Villa, Edna Cera (BSP) - P23,519,138.53
• Dakila, Francisco Jr. Garcia (BSP) - P23,319,648.65
• Capule, Elmore Ortigoza (BSP) - P22,339,656.18
• Ravalo, Johnny Noe Estanislao (BSP) - P21,597,144.22
• Sicat, Iluminada Tapiru (BSP) - P21,123,829.79
• Bobier, Eduardo Gono (BSP) - P21,013,931.08
• Santiago, Ma. Ramona Gertrudes Tiangco (BSP) - P20,772,649.32
• Caguioa, Alfredo Benjamin Sabater (SC) - P19,648,395.90
• Guevarra, Menardo Ilasco (Office of the Solicitor General) - P17,812,501.39
• De Jesus, Michael Osmeña (Development Bank of the Philippines) - P17,038,378.64
• Tangonan, Mamerto Enrique (BSP) - P16,889,408.37
• Veloso, Jose Arnulfo Asprer (Government Service Insurance System) - P16,628,156.11
• Gesmundo, Alexander Gahon (SC) - P16,317,567.20
• Kho, Antonio Jr. Tongio (SC) - 16,080,538.60
• Puyat, Bernadette Fatima Romulo (BSP) - P16,070,112.54
• Favila, Peter Baltazar (BSP) - P15,643,102.99
• Abacan, Antonio Jr. Santiago (BSP) - P15,429,141.74
• Ledesma, Emmanuel Jr. Rufino (PHIC) - P14,438,837.88
• Aquino, Emilio Benito (Securities and Exchange Commission) - P13,459,457.30
• Hernando, Ramon Paul Layugan (SC) - P13,137,705.40
• Javier, Amy Lazaro (SC) - P12,650,048.70
• Inting, Henri Jean Paul Balinghasay (SC) - P12,534,048.70
• Leonen, Marvic Mario Victor Famorca (SC) - P12,408,892.70
• Zalameda, Rodil Vaquilar (SC) - P12,123,622.10
• Tang, Amparo Cabotaje (Sandiganbayan) - P11,835,123.73