President and CEO Higinio O. Macadaeg of the government-controlled United Coconut Planters Bank dislodged Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas executives as the highest-paid government official in the country last year.
Controversial Solicitor General Jose Calida improved his earnings by at least P6 million last year, to be referred to as the government official, outside the president and vice president, to receive the largest salary and allowances in 2019.
Moving from No. 4, Calida’s earnings totaled P 16,952,843.27, higher than his 2019 gross of P10,917,156.49, the Commission on Audit said in its 2019 Report on Salaries and Allowances (ROSA) released Wednesday.
Macadaeg was paid a total P20,475,205.79 in 2019.
According to the UCPB website, Macadaeg has already resigned and Liduvino Geron has been appointed officer-in-charge.
Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Benjamin Diokno placed No. 3 in the list but the salaries and allowances he received represented only his first nine months in his post.
State auditors computed Diokno’s payments last year at P15,450,731.07 total. His predecessor, the late BSP Governor Nestor Espenilla Jr. topped the 2018 ROSA despite aggregating only P14,920,912.77 for the year that he headed the agency.
UCPB Vice President Eulogio Catabran III was the second official of the bank to rank in the 10 highest earners. He placed fourth, receiving P 15,097,326.13 total for the year.
Officials of the judiciary, namely Supreme Court Chief Justice Diosdado M. Peralta and Associate Justice Estela Perlas Bernabe, were included in the top 20. Peralta ranked 13th — 10,366,218.30 total income in 2019, while Bernabe took the No. 16th spot at P10,219,702.61.
BSP executives still dominated the list of high earners, with 11 of its officials being named in the top 20.
Next to Diokno but placing No. 5 was Maria Almasara Cyd Tuano-Amador, currently deputy governor of BSP, ranking fifth with an earning of P14,604,660.46.
Meanwhile, Benel Lagua, executive vice president of the government-owned Development Bank of the Philippines, was one of three DBP officials to get a top 20 ranking. He placed 12th by earning P10,401,386.78
High earners in the legislative department include lawyer Hector Villacorta at No. 25 with P9,327,811.35 total income and Senate Secretary General Myra Marie Villarica, No. 50 at P 8,023,433 .
Chairman Sheriff Ma. Abas of the Commission on Elections was last year’s highest paid among officials of constitutional agencies. He received P7,907,138.95 and ranked 52nd in the list.
COA said the ROSA is an annual report containing the total “emoluments/remunerations” received by officials of the government. Elected officials are not include din the list.
Computed in the ROSA are salaries, personnel economic relief allowance and additional compensation; honoraria, allowances, bonuses, incentives and other benefits; extraordinary and miscellaneous expenses, indirect benefits and other remunerations.
The top 20 highest earners:
1. Higinio Macadaeg Jr. (UCPB) - P20,475,205.79
2. Jose Calida (OSG) - P16,952,843.27
3. Benjamin Diokno (BSP) - P15,450,731.07
4. Eulogio Catabran III (UCPB) - P15,097,326.13
5. Maria. Almasara Cyd Amador (BSP) - P14,604,660.46
6. Chuchi G. Fonacier (BSP) - P4,595,150.67
7. Dahlia Luna (BSP) - P12,244,273.37
8. Ma. Ramona Gertrudes Santiago (BSP) - P12,179,712.23
9. Edmond E. Bernardo (UCPB) - P11,586,338.43
10. Elmore Capule (BSP) - P11,421,290.17
11. Edna Villa (BSP) - P10,470,833.36
12. Benel Lagua (DBP) - P10,401,386.78
13. Diosdado Peralta (SC) - P10,368,218.30
14. Francisco Dakila Jr. (BSP) - P10,241,160.05
15. Iluminada Sicat (BSP) - P10,219,906.24
16. Estela Perlas-Bernabe (SC) - P10,219,702.61
17. Fe Susan Prado (DBP) - P10,208,487.96
18. Emmanuel G. Herbosa (DBP) - P10,159,159.35
19. Nestor Espenilla (BSP) - P9,957,114.43
20. Victor Tolentino (BSP) - P9,834,969.95.