Palace defends pay for RTVM chief

The salaries and allowances received by the head of Radio- TV Malacañang were aboveboard, the Presidential Communications Operations Office explained yesterday.

PCOO Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. took exception to the Aug. 7 front page article of The STAR reporter Jess Diaz titled, “Videographer is highest paid Palace functionary.”

“The story is inaccurate, misleading and derogatory. First, all the salaries and allowances received by officials working in Malacañang are given in accordance with existing laws. Differences in amounts received arise due to the varying nature of official duties and actual assignments performed by such officials,” Coloma said.

He also said Assistant Secretary Virgilio Nadal “is the head of (RTVM) and not the ‘chief videographer’” of President Aquino.

“He received total allowances that were in excess of his regular salary on account of the fact that his unit regularly accompanies the President in all official functions, including foreign trips,” he said.

“Hence, he and members of his staff are entitled to allowances for travel and lodging, which are benchmarked by the Department of Budget and Management with rates paid by international agencies,” Coloma said.

“Finally, it is most unfair for your paper to insinuate that Mr. Nadal ‘pocketed a total of P2.7 million in salaries, allowances and other benefits in 2014.’ In Filipino, ‘pocketed’ translates directly to ‘ ibinulsa.’ He earned and received what was legally due him as a government official,” he added.

According to the Commission on Audit (COA), Nadal received a total of P2.7 million in salaries, allowances and other benefits in 2014.