Pacquiao hikes net worth to P1.7B, still the House’s lone billionaire

By XIANNE ARCANGEL, GMA News

Published May 21, 2015 4:01pm

World boxing great Saranggani Rep. Manny Pacquiao's net worth increased by more than P300 million in 2014 to remain, based on the lawmakers' Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth, the House of Representatives' wealthiest member for the fifth straight year.

Pacquiao remained the only billionaire among the mostly millionaire House members as he declared a net worth of P1.688 billion in his latest SALN.

His net worth for 2014 jumped by some P343 million from the P1.345 billion he posted the previous year.

Based on the summary of the House members' statements of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALNs) posted online, Pacquiao had pieces of real property worth P1.1 billion, personal property worth P734 million and liabilities worth P155 million.

Since entering Congress in 2010, Pacquiao has been the richest lawmaker, with a net worth of over a billion. He has remained a billionaire throughout his stint in the 15th and 16th Congresses.

While the five wealthiest House members remain the same, the rankings have changed.

Speaker Feliciano Belmonte is now the second richest with a net worth of P921 million at the end of 2014, an increase of almost P100 million from the P819 million he declared the year before.

Erstwhile second placer Ilocos Norte Rep. Imelda Marcos, widow of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, slid to third as her net worth decreased to P917 million in 2014, down from the P922 million she declared for 2013.

Rounding up the Top Five were Negros Occidental Reps. Alfredo Benitez and Julio Ledesma IV. Benitez declared a net worth of P845 million while Ledesma declared 827 million.

From P9M to P689M

In just one year, the net worth of Diwa party-list Rep. Emmeline Aglipay rose dramatically from P9 million in 2013 to P689 million last year as a result of her marriage to Las Piñas City Rep. Mark Villar. The couple, who jointly filed their SALNs, are tied in the sixth place as the richest lawmakers in the 16th Congress.

Coming seventh next to the Villar couple is Marcos’ nephew, Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, who posted a net worth of P474 million.

Rizal Rep. Joel Roy Duavit is eighth in the list with a net worth of P317 million.

The late Tarlac Rep. Enrique “Henry” Cojuangco, who died last week due to an aneurysm, is the ninth richest lawmaker with a net worth of P220 million.

In the 10th place is Cavite Rep. Alex Advincula, who posted a net worth of P203 million.

Three non-millionaires

Out of 290 House members, only three are non-millionaires. The lawmaker who had the lowest net worth for 2014 is Anakpawis party-list Rep. Fernando Hicap. She claim a net worth of P95,572.

Based on Hicap’s SALN, his total assets were composed of cash in bank amounting to P90,572.65 and home appliances worth P5,000. He reported no liabilities.

The House member with the second least net worth is Kalinga party-list Rep. Abigail Faye Ferriol, who posted a net worth of P735,000 with no liabilities.

The third lawmaker whose net worth is less than a million is Abakada party-list Rep. Jonathan dela Cruz, with P850,000.

However, he is a millionaire. His net worth went down because his liabilities reached P7 million while his total assets amount to P7.8 million.

Still a millionaires' club

By all accounts, the House remains a multi-millionaires' club, with 198 lawmakers having a seven-figure net worth.

The lawmaker with the lowest seven-figure net worth is Kalinga Rep. Manuel Agyao with P10.3 million, while the House member whose net worth almost breached the eight-figure mark is Misamis Oriental Rep. Peter Unabia with P99.9 million.

Thirty lawmakers have net worth in the hundred million-peso range, while 58 House members posted a six-figure net worth. -NB/JJ, GMA News

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