Richest, poorest mayors in Metro Manila
Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada and Makati Mayor Junjun Binay INQUIRER FILE PHOTOS
MANILA, Philippines – Joseph Estrada is the richest mayor in Metro Manila, while Makati Mayor Junjun Binay is among the poorest, according to the Statement of Assets and Liabilities Net Worth (SALN) submitted to the Office of the Ombudsman.
Based on the SALNs of 16 mayors obtained by INQUIRER.net, all of them are multimillionaires with wealth from as low as P3 million to as high as over P200 million.
Manila Mayor Estrada, former president convicted of plunder and later pardoned, has a wealth of P242.8 million. He has P91 million worth of cash on hand and in the bank.
Estrada also declared three residential houses in Manila, Laguna and Zambales, and an orchard in Laguna. His businesses are in poultry and a fish pen in San Juan City.
The second wealthiest local chief executive is Navotas Mayor John Reynald Tiangco, brother of Navotas Representative Toby Tiangco. He has a net worth of P149.5 million.
Tiangco has four declared residential houses – two in Greenhills, San Juan which were bought for P29 million and P46 million, as well as two in Navotas City costing P2 million each.
Most of his assets are from investment in shares worth P85.9 million. His business interests include stockholder and director in five corporations on fishing, shipyard, aquafarms, among others.
The third richest mayor is Maria Belen Eusebio of Pasig. She has a net worth of P148 million. Most of her assets are from investments worth P51.5 million, as well as inherited land worth almost P53 million.
Eusebio’s only relative in government is a brother-in-law serving as councilor in Pasig.
Eusebio is also a stockholder in several realty and development corporations.
Mandaluyong Mayor Benjamin Abalos Jr. is the fourth richest with wealth of P142 million. His cash is worth P26.2 million. Most of his wealth are from real properties such as land units, a beach resort, a condominium unit and a residential house and lot.
The mayor is the son of former Commission on Elections (Comelec) chairman Benjamin Abalos Sr, who was accused of facilitating commissions in the botched NBN-ZTE deal under the Arroyo administration. It was also under Abalos’ watch when the Comelec was wracked with election-rigging allegations favoring then president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and her senatorial ticket.
Vergel Aguilar of Las Piñas is fifth richest mayor with net worth of P71.75 million. Aguilar is the brother of Senator Cynthia Villar and an uncle of Las Piñas Representative Mark Villar.
Most of his wealth are from investments in shares worth P33.8 million. He has cash of P8.9 million.
His family owns the VAA Builders Corporation, a housing developer based in Las Piñas. Aguilar’s wife Imelda is the corporation’s president.
The sixth richest mayor is Herbert Bautista of Quezon city. He has a net worth of P51 million. Most of his assets are listed as follows: Five parking lots, five agricultural lands, three residential lots and a condominium unit worth P32 million.
Bautista, a former actor, declared business interests in Sunny Hills school in Quezon City, as well as a car exchange and rural bank business in Quezon City and Rizal, respectively.
San Juan Mayor Guia Gomez is the seventh richest mayor with wealth of P39 million. She is the mother of Senator Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito and a former mistress of Mayor Estrada.
Gomez declared 11 residential houses – seven in San Juan, two in Cavite, and one in Quezon City. Her residential lots amount to almost P13 million.
She has a wide array of business interests – 17 in trading, six in real estate, two in management consultancy, one in realty, and a restaurant.
The eighth richest mayor is Antolin Oreta III of Malabon. He has a net worth of P33.2 million. He is the cousin of President Benigno Aquino III and Senator Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV.
Most of Oreta’s wealth come from two residential lots in California in the US and Malabon, as well as a commercial lot in Cebu, which are all for sale.
Muntinlupa Mayor Jaime Fresnedi is the ninth richest with a wealth of P32.37 million. He has nine residential lots in Muntinlupa, Cavite, Laguna, and Tunasan worth almost P9 million.
Most of Fresnedi’s wealth are from personal properties, including six cars, worth P23 million. His business interests include two gas stations in Muntinlupa.
Tenth richest is Parañaque Mayor Edwin Olivarez with P26.73 million. He has four house and lots in Laguna and Muntinlupa, and cash in bank worth P2.4 million. Olivarez is the brother of Parañaque Representative Eric Olivarez.
Maria Laarni Cayetano of Taguig is the 11th richest with P21.8 million. She is the wife of Senator Alan Peter Cayetano. Her business interests are by virtue of her husband in development, holdings, and realty.
Jaime Medina of Pateros is 12th richest with almost P20 million.
The son of Vice President Jejomar Binay is among the poorest mayors. Makati Mayor Junjun Binay ranked 13th with P19.6 million and has declared three residential and agricultural lots in Batangas and Tagyatay.
Binay has assets worth over P54 million but his wealth was brought down by liabilities amounting to P34.8 million mostly on loans and income taxes.
His cash is worth P19.96 million. He also declared business interests in a realty corporation and a food chain in Makati.
Poorest mayors
The poorest mayors have wealth of P12 million and below.
Caloocan mayor Oscar Malapitan is the third poorest with P12.4 million. He declared two house and lots in Caloocan and Quezon City, and cash worth P4.2 million.
Pasay mayor Antonino Calixto is second poorest with P7.4 million. He declared three residential and a memorial lot worth P1.7 million. He also declared cash worth P3.7 million. His only business interest is a in a construction company in Pasay. He is the brother of Pasay Representative Imelda Rubiano.
The poorest of them all based on SALNs filed is Marikina Mayor Del De Guzman with P3.3 million. He has assets worth P9.8 million but his wealth was brought down by liabilities worth P6.5 million. His only declared business is a sash factory in Taytay, Rizal.
No SALN yet
Valenzuela Mayor and former representative Rex Gatchalian has yet to submit his SALN. Gatchalian is one of the sons of businessman William Gatchalian, known as the “Plastic King” for his plastic industries and a close friend of Mayor Estrada. The other Gatchalian brothers are Valenzuela Rep. Sherwin Gatchalian and Alay Buhay Rep. Wesley Gatchalian.
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