COA REPORT

BSP's Diokno tops list of highest paid gov't execs in 2020; Calida at 2nd spot

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Benjamin Diokno and Solicitor General Jose Calida were the highest paid government officials in 2020, earning over P19 million and P15 million, respectively, state auditors said in a report.

The Commission on Audit’s 2020 Report on Salaries and Allowances showed that Diokno, 2019’s third-highest earner, made P19.8 million last year, mostly from his basic salary of P8.5 million plus P6.6 million in bonuses, incentives, and benefits. 

Diokno also received P3.3 million in allowances and P1.4 million in discretionary and extraordinary miscellaneous expenses.

Calida retained his second place ranking after earning P15.7 million in 2020, P3.2 million of which was his basic salary and over P11.1 million came from Personnel Economic Relief Allowance, additional compensation, and honorarium.

Eulogio Catabran III, executive vice president and group head of the United Coconut Planters Bank (UCPB), came in third after earning P15.5 million in 2020.

Government Service Insurance System President Rolando Macasaet ranked fourth with P15.3 million in earnings last year.

Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Estela Perlas-Bernabe came in fifth after making P15.2 million in 2020, more than former Chief Justice Diosdado Peralta’s earnings of P14.5 million that put him in seventh place.

Completing the list of last year’s 10 highest earners were BSP Deputy Governors Maria Almasara Amador (6th; P15.2 million) and Chuchi Fonacier (8th; P14.3 million), former UCPB President and CEO Higinio Macadaeg Jr. (9th; P13.2 million), and BSP Senior Assistant Governor Dahlia Luna (10th; P12.6 million).

Macadaeg, who was nominated by President Rodrigo Duterte, had already resigned from his post for personal reasons. 

Officials in the 11th to 20th ranking were mostly BSP executives and Supreme Court justices. --KBK, GMA News