Saturday, December 17, 2011

Gov't service is huge milking cow - Manila Standard Today -- -- 2011/december/14

Manila Standard Today -- -- 2011/december/14

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Genuino takes home P287m; Naguiat comes 2nd with P69m

by Vic Agustin
EFRAIM Genuino received a whopping P287 million in total compensation in his last six months as chairman of the cash-awash state gaming regulator—Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp.
His replacement, Cristino Naguiat, did not do so bad, either. The P.Noy appointee also hit the salary jackpot, taking home over P69 million in salaries and allowances in his first six months of office in 2010, according to the Commission on Audit.

Naguiat, whose annual salary could top P140 million, has emerged as the highest paid P.Noy government official, even eclipsing Bangko Sentral Gov. Amando Tetangco Jr., whose P10.6-million annual compensation had been thought to be the apex in the career civil service.

The surprise second-placer: Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, whose pay envelope for the first months in office came up to P10.9 million. In contrast, his predecessor, Norberto Gonzales, was sent out packing P15.9 million in the last six months of the GMA administration.

The fearless Kim Henares will not miss much her private-sector salary. Her first six months’ wage as chief of the Bureau of Internal Revenue amounted to P5.5 million, leaving her predecessor, Joel Tan Torres, in the dust with his P707,412.60 package in his last six months at the BIR.

Cadiz outranks justices

Does the Solicitor-General outrank the justices of the Supreme Court?

Apparently, Jose Anselmo Cadiz does, pay-wise.

Cadiz, who is better known in the legal profession for his astute politicking than on the size of his practice, took home P4.39 million in his first six months of office, more than double the annual salary of a Supreme Court justice.

For instance, Chief Justice Renato Corona’s annual take-home pay amounts to only about P2.2 million; Antonio Carpio, who could be the next chief justice should Corona be impeached out of office, brings home to his Vietnamese wife P2.08 million a year, less taxes.

Cadiz’s salary is even miles ahead than Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr.’s; the Little President received only P703,532.48 for the same six-month period, according to the Commission on Audit.

Dinky outbudgets Abad

Budget Secretary Florencio Abad may be the keeper of the P1.6-trillion budget, but Social Welfare Secretary Corazon “Dinky” Soliman still edges him out when it comes to the take-home budget.

Soliman received over P823,000 in her first six months upon return to Malacañang. Abad, on the other hand, had to content himself with exactly P700,871 for the same period.

Good that Abad’s daughter, Julia, received more than her dad, P738,624.38, by heading the Presidential Management Staff.

Soliman is even better compensated than Trade and Industry Secretary Gregory Domingo, who suffered a severe pay cut in leaving the SM Group in exchange for P664,309.25 in first semester pay to be with P.Noy.

Soliman even nosed out her female colleague in the Cabinet, Leila de Lima, who as justice secretary took home P813,187.65 for the same period.
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