Former health chief Garin highest-paid Cabinet official in 2015

MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED) – Former Health Secretary Janette Garin earned the most among Cabinet officials of the Aquino administration in 2015, the Commission on Audit’s 2015 Report on Salaries and Allowances revealed.

According to the report released on Tuesday, July 5, Garin’s total earnings amounted to P2.521 million.

She received P1.08 million as basic salary, P408,037.31 in allowances, P235,000 in bonuses or incentives, P348,000 in discretionary funds, and P24,000 additional compensation or honorarium.

She also received P425,750.91 as chair of the board of directors of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation or PhilHealth.

Garin, however, denied she received any salary as chair of the board.

“I have allocation for local and international travels but I never used it. Only members of the board who are not connected with other government offices are given some sort of ‘per diem’,” she told Rappler in a text message on Monday, July 11. 

During her short stint of one year and 4 months, Garin also sat in concurrent capacity as chair of the governing boards of the following:

• National Kidney and Transplant Institute
• Philippine Children’s Medical Center
• Philippine Heart Center
• Lung Center of the Philippines
• Philippine Institute of Traditional and Alternative Health Care

She received no pay as trustee of the Development Academy of the Philippines.

But Garin only ranked 305th among all government officials.

Topping the list is Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Amando Tetangco Jr, who earned P13.957 million, followed by Government Service Insurance System General Manager Robert Vergara, who earned P13.449 million.

Former Budget Secretary Florencio Abad was the second highest earner among Cabinet officials, with total earnings of P2.235 million.

He received P1.092 million as basic salary, P173,000 in allowances, P213,980 in bonuses or incentives, P308,000 discretionary fund, and P24,000 additional compensation or honorarium.

Abad also received P423,788 as head of the Department of Budget and Management-Procurement Service, but did not receive pay for sitting in the governing boards of the following:

• National Development Company
• National Home Mortgage and Finance Corporation
• National Power Corporation
• Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corporation
• Development Academy of the Philippines
• Philippine Center for Economic Development

Completing the top 5 highest paid Cabinet officials are Patricia Licuanan of the Commission on Higher Education (P2.209 million), Rosalinda Baldoz of the Department of Labor and Employment (P2.167 million), and Mario Montejo of the Department of Science and Technology (P2.166 million).

On 6th place is former Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala, who was top grosser among Cabinet officials from 2012 to 2014.

In 2015, he earned P2.076 million. His pay dropped when he no longer chaired the council of the National Food Authority.

He also earned P1,000 in allowance as chair of the Philippine Rice Research Institute.

The rest of the former Cabinet officials are listed below:

7. Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya – P2.058 million
8. Justice Secretary Alfredo Benjamin Caguioa – P2.038 million

Leila De Lima – P1.908 million

9. Education Secretary Armin Luistro – P1.997 million
10. National Anti-Poverty Commission Chair Jose Eliseo M. Rocamora – P1.995 million
11. Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr – P1.952 million
12. Presidential Adviser on Military Affairs Danilo Cortez – P1.935 million
13. Trade and Industry Secretary Gregory Domingo – P1.933 million
14. Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima – P1.932 million
15. Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda – P1.919 million
16. Environment Secretary Ramon Jesus Paje – P1.916 million
17. Presidential Management Staff head Julia Andrea Abad – P1.916 million
18. Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez Jr – P1.901 million
19. National Economic and Development Authority Secretary Arsenio Balisacan – P1.884 million
20. Social Welfare Secretary Corazon Soliman – P1.864 million
21. National Security Council Director General Cesar Garcia Jr – P1.849 million
22. Presidential Communications Operations Office chief Herminio Coloma Jr – P1.849 million
23. Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Secretary Teresita Deles – P1.800 million
24. Public Works Secretary Rogelio Singson – P1.779 million
25. Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin – P1.703 million
26. Agrarian Reform Secretary Virgilio Delos Reyes – P1.653 million
27. Energy Secretary Zenaida Monsada – P1.550 million

Carlos Jericho Petilla – P889,500

28. Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert Del Rosario – P1.535 million
29. Presidential Legislative Liaison Office chief Manuel Mamba – P1.443 million
30. Metro Manila Development Authority Chair Francis Tolentino – P1.374 million
31. Local Government Secretary Manuel Roxas II – P1.307 million

 Mel Senen Sarmiento – P550,500

32. Technical Education and Skills Development Authority Secretary Emmanuel Joel Villanueva – P1.246 million

– Rappler.com