MANILA, Philippines—It’s wheels for the boys and blings for the girls.
The wealth of the country’s 23 senators may be gleaned from their vehicles and jewelry—or so they claim in their 2010 statements of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN).
Sen. Ramon Revilla Jr. boasts a total of 10 vehicles worth P20.1 million. The most expensive of these is a BMW730, which he acquired for P5.85 million five years ago. He also bought a Lexus LX570 wagon for P5 million in 2009.
Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago declared only one vehicle, valued at P100,000, that she acquired in 1999. But what the senator apparently lacks in automobiles, she made up for in baubles worth P5 million.
Curiously, Sen. Francis Escudero, a known car enthusiast, declared no vehicle in his SALN.
Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III ranked second to Revilla in terms of car ownership, declaring P13.6 million worth of “cars and services vehicles” in his SALN. Unlike his show-biz colleague, however, Sotto did not detail exactly what vehicles he owned.
<strong>Dictator’s family</strong>
Neophyte Sen. Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the son and namesake of the late dictator, declared P13.3 million worth of cars, which include a hybrid Toyota Prius worth P2.23 million. The most expensive car in his possession is a 2010 Toyota Camry, which he bought for P2.25 million.
Marcos also owns a special edition Mitsubishi Evolution race car (2001 model), which he acquired for P1.2 million in 2006.
Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri declared five vehicles valued at P10.1 million. His collection includes a BMW Z4 convertible worth P4.2 million, a Jaguar X-Type sedan worth P2 million, and a Land Rover worth P1.4 million.
Sen. Jinggoy Estrada declared vehicles worth P8.27 million, while Sen. Franklin Drilon listed two cars with a net value of P3.38 million. Drilon’s vehicles are a 2009 Toyota Land Cruiser SUV and a 2009 Toyota Hi-Ace van.
<strong>Villar still the richest</strong>
Sen. Manuel Villar, the Senate’s richest member as of last year with a total net worth of P725.22 million, did not specify any vehicles he owned in his SALN. But he declared “other real and personal properties” worth P572.79 million.
Sen. Manuel Lapid also did not identify his cars. But his “cash, vehicles and other personal properties” was worth P10.2 million.
Sen. Loren Legarda declared a jewelry collection worth P10 million. She also owns antiques and artworks amounting to P5 million. Her vehicles are worth only P1.95 million.
Sen. Panfilo Lacson declared jewelry worth P3.5 million. He claimed to have cash on hand or in the bank of at least P22 million.
Sen. Edgardo Angara has the most expensive collection of antiques and artworks amounting to P29.87 million. He owns a Juan Luna painting (“Virgin Mary”) worth P6.93 million, and three works by sculptor Ed Castrillo, valued at P4.4 million. Angara’s antique collection is worth P1.7 million.
<strong>Lone billionaire</strong>
The personal wealth of the country’s senators, however, pale in comparison to that of their House colleague, boxing superstar and Sarangani Rep. Manny Pacquiao.
Pacquiao, apparently the country’s only billionaire lawmaker, was worth P1.134 billion as of Dec. 31, 2010, when he filed his SALN.
This does not yet include his winnings from his most recent fight against the African-American Shane Mosley in Las Vegas, where he reportedly grossed an estimated $30 million.
Paquiao’s assets consist of P397.933 million in real properties and P736.3 million in personal and other properties. He has no liabilities.
<strong>Poorest</strong>
The poorest House member does not even have a tenth of Pacquaio’s wealth. Anakpawis party-list representative Rafael Mariano declared a net worth of P75,711, consisting of personal and other properties. He has no real properties and no liabilities. Mariano was also the poorest lawmaker last year.
Joining Pacquiao in the rarefied group of the five richest House members were: Negros Occidental Rep. Alberto Benitez, who is worth P624.847 million; Ilocos Norte Rep. Imelda Marcos, P623.6 million; Negros Occidental Rep. Julio Ledesma, P555.069 million; and Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, P475.611 million.
Rounding up the list of the 10 richest representatives were: Iloilo Rep. Augusto Syjuco, worth P294.602 million; House Speaker and Quezon City Rep. Feliciano Belmonte, P283.291 million; Tarlac Rep. Enrique Cojuangco, P199.593 million; Ilocos Norte Rep. Rodolfo Fariñas, P195.78 million; and Iloilo Rep. Ferjenel Biron, P165.996 million.
<strong>17th richest in House</strong>
Former President and Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, with P140.212 million, is the 17th richest representative.
The 18th richest is Negros Occidental Rep. Iggy Arroyo, her brother-in-law, who is worth P137.922 million.
The former President’s sons, Ang Galing Pinoy party-list member Juan Miguel Arroyo and Camarines Sur Rep. Diosdado Arroyo placed 27th and 35th. Juan Miguel is worth P95.547 million, while Diosdado is worth P87.263 million.
Las Piñas Rep. Mark Villar—whose mother Cynthia used to top the list of richest lawmakers when she was Las Piñas representative and whose father, Manuel, is the richest senator—is the 12th richest in the House. He is worth P156.194 million.
<strong>Non-millionaires group</strong>
All the non-millionaires in the House are party-list representatives.
Joining Mariano in the group of lawmakers with the lowest net worth are Bayan Muna party-list member Teodoro Casiño, who is worth P91,000; Kabataan party-list Rep. Raymond Palatino, P190,000; Kalinga party-list Rep. Abigail Ferriol, P470,000; and TUCP party-list Rep. Raymond Mendoza, P694,720.
The other lawmakers who are not part of the millionaires’ club are Akbayan party-list member Arlene Bag-ao, P712,000 and ACT Teachers party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio, P969,000.