Most of Cabinet members richer in 2018

MANILA, Philippines — More than a dozen Cabinet members became richer while at least three of them reported a lower net worth last year, their statements of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN) revealed.

Of the 24 Cabinet members whose 2018 SALNs were available, 15 had a higher net worth while three reported a dip in their net worth. The rest entered the Cabinet just last year.

The biggest gainer last year was Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi, whose net worth rose by about P29 million to P1.385 billion last year from P1.356 billion in 2017.

Cusi, the second richest among Cabinet members with available SALNs, declared cash placements, jewelry, furniture, fixtures and real properties worth P1.385 billion. He declared no liabilities.

Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III, whose family owns the Marco Polo hotel chain, reported a net worth of P366.78 million in 2018, up by more than P28.6 million from P338.12 million two years ago.

While Public Works Secretary Mark Villar was the richest Cabinet member last year, his net worth only grew by P1 million from P1.407 billion in 2017 to P1.408 billion last year.

Other Cabinet members who reported higher net worth last year were Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade (P306.35 million from P303.23 million), Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar (P160.4 million from P158.82 million), Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia (P114.1 million  from P109 million), presidential spokesman and chief presidential legal counsel Salvador Panelo (P72.9 million  from P71.5 million), Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea (P54.65 million from P51.8 million) and Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol (P28.53 million from P26.97 million).

Also richer last year were National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr. (P25.745 million from P25.25 million), Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III (P16.38 million from P15.75 million), Presidential Legislative Liaison Office chief Adelino Sitoy (P10.04 million from P9.66 million), Education Secretary Leonor Briones (P9.61 million from P6.67 million), Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana (P8.76 million from P7.66 million) and acting Information and Communications Technology Secretary Eliseo Rio Jr. (P7.95 million from P7.63 million).

At least three Cabinet members reported lower net worth last year.

Science Secretary Fortunato dela Peña, the highest paid Cabinet member, had the lowest net worth among those whose SALNs were available with P5.03 million. His net worth went down by P2.531 million last year from P7.56 million in 2017, making him the Cabinet member with the steepest drop in net worth.

Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez’s net worth dipped by P1 million from P49.8 million in 2017 to P48.8 million last year.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III reported a net worth of P120.08 million in 2018, lower by about P58,000 from P120.14 million two years ago.

Officials who joined the Cabinet only last year were Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr., who reported a net worth of P106.52 million, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority director general Isidro Lapeña (P70.74 million), Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat (P45.29 million), Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Carlito Galvez Jr. (P23.38 million), Social Welfare Secretary Rolando Bautista (P20.01 million) and Secretary to the Cabinet Karlo Nograles (P12.1 million).

The 2018 SALNs of Agrarian Reform Secretary John Castriciones, budget department officer-in-charge Janet Abuel, Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu, Interior Secretary Eduardo Año, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra, housing chief Eduardo del Rosario, Commission on Higher Education chairman Prospero de Vera III and Metro Manila Development Authority chairman Danilo Lim were not available.

Lowest paid

Meanwhile, DepEd said that contrary to a report, the salary and other earnings of Briones in 2018 were actually the lowest among Cabinet officials.

In a statement, DepEd stressed that salaries and allowances of Cabinet members are standard and that differences in their reported incomes are affected by varying accounting system used by each department.

“The salary schedule is uniform based on the Salary Standardization Law (SSL) and Executive Order No. 201, series of 2016, which set the governing principles of the Compensation and Position Classification System (CPCS) the payment of just and equitable compensation to all government personnel in accordance with the principle of equal pay for work of equal value,” DepEd said.

DepEd said Briones had turned up as second highest paid among Cabinet secretaries because some P600,000 in gasoline and miscellaneous expenses incurred by the whole DepEd Office of the Secretary were added to Briones’ P3.3-million total earnings for 2018.

“Her Report of Salaries and Allowances (ROSA) for 2018 shows that aside from her monthly basic salary as a Cabinet member, the secretary receives the standard allowances accorded all government personnel. Based on the same document, her total earnings for 2018 was P3.3 million and not P3.95 million as initially reported excluding the Gasoline and Miscellaneous Expenses that are actual expenses incurred by the Office of the Secretary proper and not as her personal use,” DepEd said.

In a report in The STAR last May 24, Briones was listed as closely following DOST’s Dela Peña as highest paid among Cabinet secretaries.

“These expenses were considered as ‘allowance’ by DepEd’s accounting office and the Commission on Audit (COA) resident auditors, and therefore included as footnotes in the ROSA,” DepEd said.

“That being said, given her actual total earnings for 2018, the education chief’s ranking in terms of salaries and allowance will be the lowest among the Top 10 listed in the publication,” DepEd stressed. –  With Rainier Allan Ronda