BSP executives top list of highest-paid gov't officials in 2023 -- COA

Twelve executives of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) were the top highest paid government officials in 2023, the Commission on Audit (COA) said 

In its 2023 Report on Salaries and Alloances made public last May 2, COA said that BSP Governor Governor Eli M. Semolina Jr. is now the country's highest paid official with salaries and allowances amounting to P35,478,813.42.

In 2022, the highest paid official was former BSP Governor Felipe M. Medalla with P34,172,508.34.  Now, Medalla slipped into second place with salary and allowances of P28,050,030.52. 

Third place went to Deputy Governor Chuchi G. Fonacier with P26,003,043.94, followed by Monetary Board Members Anita Linda R. Aquino with P25,049,655.04 and Victor Bruce J. Tolentino with P24,746,656.26, Senior Assistant Governor Edna C. Villa with P23,519,138.53, Deputy Governor Francisco G. Dakila Jr. with P23,319,648.65, Senior Assistant Governor Elmore O. Capule with P22,339,656.18, Assistant Governor Johnny Noe E. Ravalo with P21,597,144.22, Senior Assistant Governor Iluminada T. Sicat with P21,123,829.79, Deputy Governor Eduardo G. Bobier with P21,013,931.08, and Senior Assistant Governor Ma. Ramona Gertrudes T. Santiago with P20,772,649.32.

Supreme Court (SC) Associate Justice Alfredo Benjamin S. Caguioa bagged the 13th spot with P19,648,395.90. The next highest paid official from the SC is Chief Justice Alexander G. Gesmundo in 18th place with P16,317,567.20 and Associate Justice Antonio T. Kho Jr. in 19th place with P16,080,538.60.

Apart from them, there are 14 other members of the judiciary who clinched spots in the top 50  -- 12 more are from the SC, while there was one each from the Sandiganbayan and Court of Tax Appeals (CTA). Sandiganbayan Presiding Justice Amparo M. Cabotaje-Tang ranked 30th with P11,835,123.73, while CTA Presiding Justice Roman G. Del Rosario came in at 34th place with P11,392,889.21.

Solicitor General Menardo L. Guevarra, who used to serve as the Secretary of Justice, ranked 14th with P17,812,501.39. Another official from the cabinet of former President Rodrigo Duterte, former Tourism Secretary Bernadette R. Puyat who is now with the BSP claimed the 20th spot with P16,070,112.54.

Rounding up the top 50 list is Ombudsman Samuel R. Martires with a salary of P9,324,758.93. He was also the top 50th in the 2022 list with a salary of P8,439,182.18.

The complete list of top 50 officials and their salaries and allowances:

1 REMOLONA, ELI JR. MENDIOLA (BSP) - P35,478,813.42

2  MEDALLA, FELIPE MANGUIAT (BSP) - P28,050,030.52

3  FONACIER, CHUCHI GALI (BSP) - P26,003,043.94

4  AQUINO, ANITA LINDA RAMOS (BSP) - P25,049,655.04

5  TOLENTINO, VICTOR BRUCE JULARBAL (BSP) - P24,746,656.26

6  VILLA, EDNA CERA (BSP) - P23,519,138.53

7  DAKILA, FRANCISCO JR. GARCIA (BSP) - P23,319,648.65

8  CAPULE, ELMORE ORTIGOZA (BSP) - P22,339,656.18

9  RAVALO, JOHNNY NOE ESTANISLAO (BSP) - P21,597,144.22

10  SICAT, ILUMINADA TAPIRU (BSP) - P21,123,829.79

11  BOBIER, EDUARDO GONO (BSP) - P21,013,931.08

12  SANTIAGO, MA. RAMONA GERTRUDES TIANGCO (BSP) - P20,772,649.32

13  CAGUIOA, ALFREDO BENJAMIN SABATER (SC) - P19,648,395.90

14  GUEVARRA, MENARDO ILASCO (OSG) - P17,812,501.39

15  DE JESUS, MICHAEL OSMEÑA (DBP) - P17,038,378.64

16  TANGONAN, MAMERTO ENRIQUE (BSP) - P16,889,408.37

17  VELOSO, JOSE ARNULFO ASPRER (GSIS) - P16,628,156.11

18  GESMUNDO, ALEXANDER GAHON (SC) - P16,317,567.20

19  KHO, ANTONIO JR. TONGIO (SC) - 16,080,538.60

20  PUYAT, BERNADETTE FATIMA ROMULO (BSP) - P16,070,112.54

21  FAVILA, PETER BALTAZAR (BSP) - P15,643,102.99

22  ABACAN, ANTONIO JR. SANTIAGO (BSP) - P15,429,141.74

23  LEDESMA, EMMANUEL JR. RUFINO (PHIC) - P14,438,837.88

24  AQUINO, EMILIO BENITO (SEC) - P13,459,457.30

25  HERNANDO, RAMON PAUL LAYUGAN (SC) - P13,137,705.40

26  JAVIER, AMY LAZARO (SC) - P12,650,048.70

27  INTING, HENRI JEAN PAUL BALINGHASAY (SC) - P12,534,048.70

28  LEONEN, MARVIC MARIO VICTOR FAMORCA (SC) - P12,408,892.70

29  ZALAMEDA, RODIL VAQUILAR (SC) - P12,123,622.10

30  TANG, AMPARO CABOTAJE (Sandiganbayan) - P11,835,123.73

31  LOPEZ, MARIO VILLAMOR (SC) - P11,574,788

32  VILLARICA, MYRA MARIE DIOLA (ComAppt) - P11,481,183.41

33  KALALO, GISELA ZARA (BCDA) - P11,432,347.41

34  DEL ROSARIO, ROMAN GONZALES (CTA) - P11,392,889.21

35  GAERLAN, SAMUEL HUFANO (SC) - P11,372,788

36  SANTOS, ELI DINO DELICANA (PHIC) - P11,021,227.95

37  EBDANE, DIONISIO JR. CHAN (GSIS) - P10,976,071.94

38  ROSARIO, RICARDO DE RIVERA (SC) - P10,744,788

39  ACOSTA, MARILENE CABUENA (HDMF) - P10,453,979.83

40  BOCANEGRA, GRACITA GILDA VALENZUELA (GSIS) - P10,438,506.34

41  DIMAAMPAO, JAPAR BABAY (SC) - P10,436,324.80

42  SINGH, MARIA FILOMENA DUMANDAN (SC) - P10,422,861.60

43  LOPEZ, JHOSEP YLARDE (SC) - P10,167,122.30

44  MARQUEZ, JOSE MIDAS PASCUAL (SC) - P10,010,898.40

45  PRAXEDES, MICHAEL MICAEL (GSIS) - P9,882,849.07

46  ROBLES, MELQUIADES AYPA (PCSO) - P9,835,351.82

47  COSICO, ROBERT JOHN SIANSON (HDMF) - P9,639,914.80

48  BANTUG, RENATO JR. NEPOMUCENO (Senate) - P9,599,812

49  CUNDANGAN, JAMES LEE (OSG) - P9,403,114.41 

50  MARTIRES, SAMUEL REYES (Ombudsman) - P9,324,758.93