Eusebio richest mayor, De Guzman poorest, Binay third poorest

MANILA, Philippines - With a total net worth of more than P148.16 million, outgoing Pasig City Mayor Robert Eusebio is the richest among Metro Manila’s incumbent local chief executives.

The second richest among his peers is Navotas City Mayor John Reynald Tiangco, with a total wealth of over P146.94 million.

Completing the list as third richest is Mandaluyong City Mayor Benjamin Abalos Jr. with a total net worth of P117.3 million.

On the other end of the list, Marikina City Mayor Del de Guzman is the poorest local chief executive of Metro Manila, with a declared wealth of only P2.31 million.

The second poorest mayor of the metropolis is Pasay City’s Antonio Calixto, who has a total net worth of only P6.96 million.

Mayor Jejomar Erwin Binay Jr., who heads one of the country’s richest cities, is the third poorest mayor in the metropolis with a declared wealth of only P12.03 million.

His father, Vice President Jejomar Binay, also a former mayor of the country’s financial and business capital, has declared a total net worth of P59.8 million.

The STAR was able to secure copies of the 2012 statements of assets and liabilities and net worth (SALNs) of 16 Metro Manila local chief executives submitted to the Office of the Ombudsman.

Only that of Taguig City Mayor Laarni Cayetano was unavailable for scrutiny because the anti-graft agency has yet to receive a copy of her SALN.

The SALNs show that Eusebio – who will be replaced by his wife, Maria Belen, after her victory in last Monday’s polls – declared the highest net worth as of Dec. 31, 2012 with P56.47 million in real properties and P91.68 million in other personal properties.

He said he has purchased and inherited land valued at P45.73 million (the location of which he did not reveal), has P48.66 million in investments, owns P10 million worth of jewelry and has P30 million worth of shares of stock which contributed to his total net worth of P148.16 million with zero liabilities.

On the contrary, De Guzman declared ownership of a P2.5-million house and lot in Marikina and P5.31 million worth of other personal properties, including a “business network” of P4 million.

However, he also admitted having debts worth P5.5 million because of a housing loan and a personal loan, which brings his total net worth down to only P2.31 million.

The SALNs submitted to the Office of the Ombudsman on different dates last month show that outgoing Valenzuela City Mayor Sherwin Gatchalian is the fourth richest with P85.47 million.

He is followed by Las Piñas City Mayor Vergel Aguilar with P59.18 million; San Juan Mayor Guia Gomez with P58.67 million; and outgoing Parañaque City Mayor Florencio Bernabe Jr. with P51 million.

At eighth, ninth, and 10th place are Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista with a net worth of P47.43 million; Malabon Mayor Antolin Oreta III with P46.98 million; and outgoing Munitinlupa City Mayor Aldrin San Pedro with P34.45 million.

Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim with a declared wealth of P24.15 million; outgoing Caloocan City Mayor Enrico Echiverri with P21.17 million; and Pateros Mayor Jaime Medina with P20.3 million occupy the 11th, 12th, and 13th spots.

Under the law, all government officials are required to file a SALN annually before the Office of the Ombudsman and other offices that have supervision over them.

Senators and congressmen file their SALNs before the Office of the Secretary of the Senate and the House of Representatives while Cabinet officials submit the same to the Office of the Executive Secretary in Malacañang.

In the case of local chief executives, the Department of the Interior and Local Government is the official repository of their SALNs but copies are also apparently forwarded to the Office of the Ombudsman.