Diokno is highest paid in government

BSP Governor Benjamin Diokno. (File photo by EARVIN PERIAS / Philippine Daily Inquirer)

MANILA, Philippines — For the second year in a row, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Benjamin Diokno is the highest paid government official, having received P41.811 million in salaries and allowances last year.

According to the Commission on Audit’s (COA) 2021 Report on Salaries and Allowances (Rosa), which was released on Friday, Diokno’s pay in 2021 was more than double than the P19.791 million he received in 2020. He was also the highest-paid government official for that year, the COA said.

The COA’s report covered 999 government agencies and instrumentalities that paid salaries, allowances, bonuses, incentives and other benefits to 9,050 officials who are principal officers and members of the governing board of government-owned and -controlled corporations and their subsidiaries, as well as secretaries, undersecretaries, assistant secretaries and other officials of equivalent rank in government agencies.

In the 2021 Rosa, Diokno was followed by 10 fellow BSP officials who were among the best-compensated government officials.

They were BSP board member representative Victor Bruce Tolentino who received P23.292 million last year; BSP Monetary Board members Felipe Medalla at P21.83 million, Antonio Abacan at P21.709 million, Peter Favila at P21.673 million, Anita Linda Aquino at P21.426 million; BSP deputy governors Chuchi Fonacier at P20.243 million, Maria Almasara Amador at P20.175 million and Francisco Dakila Jr. at P17.831 million; BSP senior assistant governors Ma. Ramona Gertrudes Santiago at P17.381 million and Elmore Capule at P 7.249 million.

Highest paid in judiciary

Solicitor General Jose Calida was at 12th place with P16.59 million. In 2020, he ranked second with P15.657 million.

Government Service Insurance System president and general manager Rolando Macasaet followed at 13th place with P16.041 million. BSP senior assistant governor Iluminada Sicat was at 14th place with P15.552 million.

Meanwhile, Supreme Court Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo was the highest-paid member of the judiciary at 15th place with P13.214 million.

Development Bank of the Philippines president Emmanuel Herbosa ranked 16th with P12.225 million.

Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Estela Perlas-Bernabe was at 17th place with P11.865 million. She retired in May this year.

She was followed by Supreme Court Associate Justice Ricardo Rosario at 18th place, with P11.528 million.

Securities and Exchange Commission Chair Emilio Aquino ranked 19th place with P11.399 million.

Then Supreme Court Associate Justice Rosmari Carandang was at 20th place with P11.081 million.

Among President Duterte’s Cabinet officials, Information and Communication Technology Secretary Gregorio Honasan II was the highest-paid at P5.244 million, ranking 137th.

Science and Technology Secretary Fortunato dela Peña was at 142th place with P5.198 million, while Agriculture Secretary William Dar ranked 155th place with P5.067 million.

Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III placed 161st with P5.026 million, while Health Secretary Francisco Duque III ranked 182nd with P4.919 million.

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra was at 187th place with P4.904 million.

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