MANILA, Philippines – Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar and Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi remained the only billionaires and the richest members of the Cabinet in 2018, based on their Statements of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALNs).

Villar declared a net worth of P1,408,281,794.00 in 2018. This is slightly higher than his net worth in 2017, when he declared P1,407,459,436.00, for an increase of P822,358.00.

Cusi reported P1,385,545,339.00 in net worth in 2018, up by P29.9 million from his 2017 net worth of P1,355,632,637.00.

There were only 24 SALNs released by the Malacañang Records Office (MRO) to Rappler on Monday, June 10. The SALNs of some officials were “not among the records available on file nor in the possession of this office,” said the MRO in a letter to Rappler dated May 30.

The following were the declared net worths of Cabinet and Cabinet-level secretaries, based on the SALNs made available to Rappler. Also included are the percentage increase or decrease from their 2017 SALNs:

* Compared to Nograles’ net worth in his 2017 SALN when he was still Davao City 1st District representative

Among these officials, 4 Cabinet secretaries have net worths below P10 million. The lowest net worth so far was that of Science and Technology Secretary Fortunato de la Peña, with P5,031,000.00. 

De La Peña also had the biggest percentage decrease in net worth, with a 33% drop (amounting to P2.53 million) from his P7,561,000.00 net worth in 2017. 

On the other hand, Education Secretary Leonor Briones posted the biggest percentage increase from 2017. She declared P6,668,136.00 in net worth in 2017, then it increased to P9,610,469.38 in 2018, going up by P2.9 million, or a 44% increase. Despite this, Briones is still among the secretaries with the lowest net worth.

As of this posting, Rappler has yet to have the 2017 SALNs – for comparison purposes – of 5 Cabinet officials who held other civilian and military posts before they became Cabinet members:

• Social Welfare and Development Secretary Rolando Bautista – former commanding general of the Philippine Army
• Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Carlito Galvez Jr – former chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines
• Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Director-General Isidro Lapeña – former head of the Bureau of Customs
• Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr – former permanent representative of the Philippines to the United Nations
• Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo Puyat – former tourism undersecretary

Rappler also requested the 2018 SALNs of the following, but they were not yet among the ones released by the MRO on Monday: 

• Agrarian Reform Secretary John Castriciones
• Budget and Management Secretary Benjamin Diokno
• Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Roy Cimatu
• Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año
• Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra
• Presidential Management Staff head Jesus Melchor Quitain
• Commission on Higher Education Chairperson Prospero de Vera III
• Solicitor General Jose Calida
• Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Chairman Danilo Lim
• National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) Lead Convenor Noel Felongco
• Presidential Assistant for the Visayas Michael Dino
• Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) Chairperson Francisco Acosta
• National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) Secretary Saidamen Pangarungan

Rappler also requested the SALNs of the following former Cabinet officials who left their posts in 2018 for various reasons. They were required to file exit SALNs upon leaving office:

• Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque – resigned in October 2018 to run for senator (but later withdrew from the race)
• Foreign Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano – resigned in October 2018 to run for congressman of Taguig City-Pateros
• Social Welfare and Development officer-in-charge Virginia Orogo – was replaced in October 2018
• Cabinet Secretary Leoncio Evasco Jr – resigned in October 2018 to run for Bohol governor
• Special Assistant to the President Bong Go – resigned in October 2018 to run for senator
• Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Jesus Dureza – resigned in November 2018
• NAPC Secretary Liza Maza – resigned in August 2018
• TESDA Director-General Guiling Mamondiong – resigned in October 2018 to run for Lanao del Sur governor
• CFO Officer-in-Charge Maria Regina Galias – was replaced in August 2018
• NCMF Secretary Yasmin Busran Lao – was replaced in July 2018
• Presidential Political Adviser Francis Tolentino – resigned in October 2018 to run for senator

– Rappler.com