Secretary Patricia Licuanan of the Commission on Higher Education led her fellow Cabinet officials as the top earner last year but her earnings, P2,581,615 million as of December 31, 2016, was P767,153.40 shy of President Duterte’s registered income for half the period.
In the 2016 Report on Salaries and Allowances of the Commission on Audit released recently, it was learned that Licuanan received the total pay for a 12-month period, having been a holdover member of the Cabinet.
Duterte’s latest Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth was declared at P27,428,862.44 as of end of 2016, registering a P3,348,768.40 increase compared to the P24,080,094.04 he declared in June 2016.
Vice President Leonor Robredo, who used to be a member of the Duterte Cabinet before resigning last December 5, received P1,007,897.80 in pay for six months.
Duterte revealed that much of the increase in his income constituted unspent campaign funds that were credited to him. He declared this windfall to the Commission and Elections and Bureau of Internal Revenue, paying the appropriate taxes in the process.
Health Secretary Paulyn Jean Rossell Ubial’s total income placed second among Duterte Cabinet members, at P2,408,063.31, with the first half of the year spent as assistant secretary and the remainder as full time secretary. (Ben R. Rosario)