Alcala highest paid Cabinet member – COA
Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala was the highest paid Cabinet member in 2014, according to the Commission on Audit (COA).
Alcala received salaries, allowances and other benefits totaling P3.2 million, including P1.1 million as chairman of the National Food Authority (NFA) council for five months before he turned over the post to presidential adviser on food security Francis Pangilinan.
Resigned Health Secretary Enrique Ona earned P2.5 million while Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, Trade Secretary Gregory Domingo and Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz took home P2.2 million each.
Pangilinan and Science and Technology Secretary Mario Montejo were paid a total of P2.1 million each, followed by Budget Secretary Florencio Abad, who received P2 million.
Transportation and Communications Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya took home P1.9 million, while outgoing Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas, the administration’s presidential candidate in the 2016 elections, received P1.7 million.
Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima, who is in charge of raising revenues, earned P1.7 million.
The chief revenue collector, Bureau of Internal Revenue Commissioner Kim Henares, and resigned Customs Commissioner John Philip Sevilla, were paid P1.3 million each.
The other Cabinet members and their gross pay last year were Virgilio delos Reyes of agrarian reform, P1.7 million; Armin Luistro of education, P1.8 million; Carlos Petilla of energy, P1.7 million; Ramon Paje of environment and natural resources, P1.8 million.
Albert del Rosario of foreign affairs was paid P1.7 million; Voltaire Gazmin of defense, P1.6 million; Rogelio Singson of public works and highways, P1.8 million; Corazon Soliman of social welfare and development, P1.8 million; Ramon Jimenez Jr. of tourism, P1.8 million; Arsenio Balisacan of economic planning, P1.7 million.
Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. received P1.8 million. Several Palace functionaries with the rank of secretary took home between P1.8 million and P1.9 million.
The basic annual pay of a Cabinet member is about P1.1 million.
The Cabinet salaries, allowances and other benefits were just a fraction of what state corporations paid their officers.
Government Service Insurance System president Robert Vergara was paid P12.6 million, while Gov. Amando Tetangco of Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas received P9.9 million.
Two Development Bank of the Philippines executive vice presidents, Anthony Robles and Susan Prado, took home P9.9 million and P9.1 million, respectively.
Cristino Naguiat Jr., chairman of Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp., earned P7.8 million, while Pagcor president Jorge Sarmiento received P7.5 million.
Darlene Marie Berberabe, chief executive officer of Home Development Mutual Fund, otherwise known as Pag-IBIG Fund, was paid a total of P7.7 million.
In the Senate, the chamber’s secretary, Oscar Yabes, received P4.1 million, while House of Representatives secretary general Marilyn Barua-Yap took home P3.9 million.