Capitol’s health chief is richest department head

CEBU, Philippines - Half of Capitol’s 23 department heads are millionaires based on their 2016 Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN) obtained by The FREEMAN.

Twelve of the 23 department chiefs have a net worth of not less than P1.03 million.

Dr. Rene Catan, chief of the Provincial Health Office (PHO), is the richest Capitol worker with a declared net worth of P25.5 million, while the poorest is Budget Officer Danilo Rodas with a net worth of P153,000.

Net worth or actual wealth is an official’s total assets minus his or her total liabilities.

The annual disclosure, required by law, is a means of promoting transparency and accountability in public service.

Catan’s wealth consists of real properties worth P22 million that he bought in early 2000s, two of which he received as donations in 2010.

The “donated” residential lots, worth P5 million and P7 million, respectively, are located in Pangasinan in Luzon and in Cebu.

Catan also owns two house and lot units in Cainta, Rizal and in Barangay Mabolo, Cebu City. He purchased the property in Cainta in 2000 for P5 million and five years later bought the unit in Cebu for P7 million.

Cars are the only personal properties listed in his SALN, which Catan acquired in 2015 and 2017 totaling P3.5 million.

He listed Arthrologic Luc, a medical device center for total knee arthroplasty (TKA) based in Quezon City, under his business interests and financial connections.  It was acquired in 2013. He declared no liability and listed no relative working in government.

Rodas, on the other hand, declared total assets of P1.31 million with P1.15 million in liabilities, leaving him a net worth of P153,000.

The lone real property listed in his SALN is a P10,000-residential lot in Tukuran, Zamboanga del Sur which he purchased in 2006.

His personal properties worth P1.3 million include P350,000 cash; jewelry worth P617,000; education plan worth P60,000; a service utility vehicle (SUV) worth P270,000 bought in 2016.

He declared no business interests and financial connections.

In his SALN, he listed his brother-in-law Benjamin Adaptar and first cousin Donato Kuizon who work in the government as planning officer and a public school teacher, respectively.

Catan is followed by Roberto “Bobby” Legaspi, acting jail warden and head of the Capitol’s Civil Security Unit (CSU), with a net worth of P12.45 and zero liability.

He has P12.4 million in real properties in the cities of Talisay and Lapu-Lapu City, and other personal properties that include a Yamaha motorcycle worth P79,000 that he acquired in 2010.

In 2007, he bought real properties in Talisay City, including the P1.25-million residential lot and a house and lot worth P9 million.

He also inherited a residential lot in Lapu-Lapu City since 1991. Currently, the property’s fair market value is pegged at P2.12 million.

Completing the list are Jone Siegfred Sepe, Provincial General Services Office (P4.9 million with no liabilities); Marie Jeanette Saluba, Information and Communications Technology Office (P4.1 million with no liabilities); Provincial Administrator Mark Tolentino (P4.02 million in assets and liabilities worth P3.8 million); Baltazar Tribunalo Jr, Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office and Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (P3.63 million with no liabilities); Carmen Remedios Meca, Cebu Provincial Anti-Drug Abuse Office (with P3.61 million net worth and P106,756 worth of liabilities); Florentino Nimor Jr, Provincial Planning Development Office (P3.14 million with no liabilities ); Marivic Garces, Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (assets worth P2.33 Million and liabilities of P1.83 million); Provincial Assessor Alma Sibonga (P2.24 million in assets and liabilities worth P2.31 million);  Legal Officer Orvi Ortega (P1.2 million net worth and P479,000 in liabilities); Atty. Ramil Abing, executive assistatnt to the governor and executive director of Cebu Provincial Sports Commission (P1 million net worth and P274,000 worth of liabilities;

Provincial Accountant Ramon Dumayac (P945,000 net worth and P1.9 million worth of liabilities); Provincial Agriculturist Roldan Saragena (P766,086 net worth and P928,914); Tourism Officer Joselito Costas (P662,750 net worth and P586,000 worth of liabilities); Provincial Veterinarian Mary Rose Vincoy (P534,415 net worth and P820,000 worth of liabilities); Provincial Engineer Hector Jamora (P516,569 million net worth and P635,430 worth of liabilities); Human Resource Officer Bonifer Nacorda (P466,772 net worth with no liabilities ); Labor and Employment Officer Julius Chua (P465,000 net worth and liabilities worth P600,000); Public Information Officer Jasonjes Monteclar (P450,000 with no liabilities); Protocol Officer Mary Grace Paulino (P238,000 net worth and liabilities worth P572,000); and Cebu South Bus Manager Alberto Herrera Jr (P177,500 net worth with no liabilities).

Under Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-graft and Corrupt Practice Act and Republic Act 6713 or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees, elected officials are required to submit their SALN every year to the Office of the Ombudsman. (FREEMAN)