Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi and Public Works Secretary Mark Villar were still the Cabinet members with the highest net worth in 2020, according to their Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN) obtained by Rappler.

Cusi reported a net worth of P1,462,685,899 in his SALN, up by 2.34% compared to 2019.

Meanwhile, Villar’s net worth of P1,402,417,452 in 2020 is 0.36% lower versus 2019.

Cusi and Villar are the only billionaires in the Duterte Cabinet, so far. Both were already wealthy prior to joining the Cabinet, with Cusi coming from the shipping and logistics industry, and Villar from the real estate industry.

In 2019, Cusi overtook Villar as the “richest” Cabinet member.

The 2020 SALNs of 32 Cabinet and Cabinet-level officials were available from the Malacañang Records Office, as of Wednesday, July 28.

Among the heads of the executive departments, Budget Secretary Wendel Avisado had the lowest net worth in 2020, at P13,778,000. This is up by around 10% from his net worth in 2019.

The second lowest was that of Education Secretary Leonor Briones, who reported a net worth of P13,973,865.24, an increase of P3.11 million or 28.64% from her 2019 net worth.

However, among all the 32 officials, including those with Cabinet rank, Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino Chairperson Arthur Casanova had the lowest net worth, with P1.75 million. Following him is Presidential Adviser for Overseas Filipino Workers Abdullah Mama-o, with P2.6 million.

Listed in the table below are the declared net worths of Cabinet and Cabinet-level secretaries, based on the copies of SALNs released to Rappler. Their positions are as of December 2020. The rate of increase or decrease from their 2019 net worth is also indicated.

At least seven Cabinet officials had a net worth between P100 million and P500 million. Among them, only one – Commission on Filipinos Overseas Chairperson Francisco Acosta – saw a lower net worth in 2020 versus 2019.

Among the 32 officials, Briones had the biggest rate of increase in net worth, at 28.64%.

Comparing Briones’ 2019 and 2020 SALNs, her cash on hand went up by P3.09 million, and the value of her home appliances and other personal assets increased by P20,000.

On the other hand, the late Presidential Legislative Liaison Office secretary Adelino Sitoy had the biggest rate of decrease in net worth, at 16.03%. He declared P9,538,757.33 in 2020, down from P11,360,385.61 in 2019. Sitoy died in April 2021.

Public officials’ net worth in their SALN is computed by getting the total costs of their real properties and personal assets – including those acquired prior to government service – then subtracting the total amount of their liabilities like loans.

Unlike for the SALNs of Cabinet members, it has been difficult to get the SALNs of other public officials during the Duterte administration. For instance, the Office of the Ombudsman has restricted the public’s access to SALNs under its jurisdiction.

As for the SALNs of members of the House of Representatives, any request to obtain a copy will have to be voted upon and approved by the plenary.

The Supreme Court in 2021 ruled that custodians of SALNs like the Ombudsman and both chambers of Congress, for the SALNs of their respective members, can regulate public access to the documents. – Rappler.com