Bangko Sentral’s Diokno is highest paid gov’t official in 2020; Calida at 2nd spot

MANILA — Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Benjamin Diokno topped the list of highest paid government officials last year, moving up two notches from 2019, according to the Commission on Audit.

In its 2020 Report on Salaries and Allowance (ROSA) released Wednesday, COA said Diokno rose from the third to the top spot with a reported total income of ₱19.79 million. This is an increase of over ₱4 million from the ₱15.45 million he got the year before.

Diokno replaced Higinio Macadaeg Jr., former United Coconut Planters Bank president and chief executive officer, who was the previous top earner but who dropped to the 9th place. He is also one of the four BSP officials in the top 10 list.

Solicitor General Jose Calida still ranked second, although his reported earnings declined by some ₱1.3 million, the COA report said. The total payments he received in 2020 came to ₱15.65 million, down from ₱16.95 million.

Meanwhile, the report also showed Rolando Macasaet, president and general manager of the Government Service Insurance System, shot up to the 4th from the 51st spot after becoming richer by ₱15.25 million. This is nearly twice his ₱7.96 million income two years ago, the COA figures indicate.

Two Supreme Court justices were also included in the top 10, where no magistrate made it in the 2019 list.

From placing 16th, SC Senior Associate Justice Estela Perlas-Bernabe was last year’s fifth highest paid, with ₱15.20-million worth of income, or an increase of ₱5 million. Former SC Chief Justice Diosdado Peralta, on the other hand, climbed to 7th from 13th, with ₱14.52 million in earnings.

TOP 10 HIGHEST PAID GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS IN 2020

1. BSP Governor Benjamin Diokno – ₱19.79M

2. Solicitor General Jose Calida – ₱15.65M

3. UCPB Executive Vice President Eulogio Catabran III – ₱15.46M

4. GSIS President and General Manager Rolando Macasaet – ₱15.25M

5. Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Estela Perlas-Bernabe – ₱15.20M

6. BSP Deputy Governor Maria Almasara Tuaño-Amador – ₱15.15M

7. Former Supreme Court Chief Justice Diosdado Peralta – ₱14.52M

8. BSP Deputy Governor Chuchi Fonacier – ₱14.34M

9. Former UCPB Pres. And Ceo Higinio Macadaeg Jr. – ₱13.22M

10. BSP Senior Asst. Governor Dahlia Luna – ₱12.63M

The ROSA is an annual report that summarizes the total payments received by officials in government owned or controlled corporations; national government agencies; and state universities and colleges, and stand-alone agencies.

This aims to “complement the continuing thrust of the government for transparency and accountability” and to summarize total payments and benefits officials received, the COA said