GSIS head cuts monthly pay

Winston Garcia, president and general manager of the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS), has cut his basic monthly salary by about P160,000, the equivalent of the gross monthly pay of 16 public school teachers.

The move was apparently in reaction to a renewed call by President Arroyo for government officials to reduce their lavish salaries and privileges.

Yet documents obtained by The STAR show that many officials of government-owned or -controlled corporations (GOCCs) are still living the high life.

The documents showed that from July 2001, when President Arroyo first issued an order for officials of GOCCs to cut their salaries, up to September 2004, Garcia had reduced his pay by P59,723.44.

He increased the reduction by P100,000 to P159,723.44 starting in October 2004. His monthly basic pay is now about P200,000.

Last week, the President warned government officials again that she would not tolerate lavish spending, including excessive salaries. Over the weekend, Budget Secretary Emilia Boncodin said she intends to find out who among the GOCC executives have complied with a second presidential order for them to cut their salaries.

The documents obtained by The STAR showed, however, that other GSIS officials have apparently not reduced their pay.

A report signed by Concepcion Madarang, senior vice president in charge of the administration group, showed that for 2004, senior executive vice president Reynaldo Palmiery received P4.9 million in salary and allowances, or about P407,000 per month.

Madarang herself draws a basic monthly salary of P216,544.56. Other GSIS officials with huge salaries are executive vice president Enriqueta Disuangco, P257,703.97; and senior vice president Leticia Sagcal, P216,825.52; Benjamin Vivar Jr., P216,548.75; and Alex Valencerina, P213,123.89.

Some 27 vice presidents and senior assistants receive between P100,511.17 and P202,056.08 a month in basic pay.

They are Richard Martinez, Josefina Valera, Omelita Tiangco, Felicidad Gutierrez, Nita Javier, Virgilio Vergara, Ella Valencerina, Carolyn Empemano, Rolando Tiu, Robert Agustin, Priscilla Rabina, Ma. Ruth Carunungan, Consuelo Manansala, Reneto Santico;

Wenceslao Ninonuevo, Joy Legaspi, Efigenio Aquino, Livia Alicia Ramos, Cecil Feleo, Marieta Ragudo, Esperanza Fallorina, Noel Perez, Zenaida Ferrer, Elmer Punzalan, Engracio Alampay, Mahalia Operario, and Rizalde Laudencia.

According to the Madarang report, in addition to their salaries, GSIS officials receive representation, transportation and economic relief allowances, a food subsidy, a uniform allowance, a medical allowance, and a year-end incentive bonus.

Last year, Boncodin told the Senate finance committee chaired by Sen. Manuel Villar Jr. that GOCC execs had ignored Mrs. Arroyo’s first pay cut order, forcing the President to reiterate the directive contained in Administrative Order 103, which was issued in the last quarter of 2004.

The budget secretary furnished the Villar panel with a report listing the highest-paid GOCC officials.

Topping the list were Ma. Livia "Honeygirl" de Leon and Sergio Apostol, former chairpersons of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office and the Philippine National Oil Co., respectively.

They received nearly P10 million each in 2004, or more than P800,000 a month.