BANGKO Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Benjamin Diokno took home P19.792 million in total earnings last year to land on top of the Commission on Audit’s (COA) list of highest paid government officials in 2020 leading seven other BSP executives in the Top 20.
The central bank chief moved up two places from third spot in 2019 with a total paycheck of P15.45 million.
Former United Coconut Planters Bank (UPB) president Higinio Macadaeg, 2019’s highest paid¸ did not make this year’s list after earlier resigning from his post for personal reasons.
Diokno finished the year with a hefty P4.13 million edge over Solicitor General Jose Calida, who held on to second place despite receiving P15.658 million which was P1.3 million less than what he was paid in 2019.
At third place is UCPB executive vice president Eulogio Catabran III with total pay amounting to P15.461 million.
Behind him is Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) president and general manager Rolando Macasaet whose P15.257 million earnings was enough to land him at fourth place.
In all, 12 executives of government financial institutions made it into the Top 20 list, with eight coming from the BSP.
Six justices of the Supreme Court were also in the same list led by Justice Estela Perlas Bernabe whose 2020 salaries and allowances totaled P15.204 million, good enough to land her at No. 5.
The rest in the top 20 are: BSP deputy governor Maria Almasara Amador — P15.155 million, retired Chief Justice Diosdado Peralta — P14.525 million, BSP vice governor Chuchi Fonacier — P14.349 million, resigned UCPB president Higinio Macadaeg Jr. — P13.223 million, BSP senior assistant governor Dahlia Luna — P12.637 million, BSP senior assistant governor Ma. Ramona Santiago — P12.537 million, BSP deputy governor Francisco Dakila Jr. — P11.643 million, Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) president Emmanuel Herbosa — P11.463 million, Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) chairman Emilio Aquino — P11.21 million, SC Justice Marvic Leonen — P10.677 million, SC Justice Alfredo Caguioa — P10.49 million, Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo — P10.464 million, SC Justice Ramon Paul Hernando — P10.157 million, BSP Monetary Board member Peter Favila — P10.117 million, and BSP Monetary Board member Felipe Medalla — P10.103 million
In 2019, only two SC justices made it into the list — then Chief Justice Peralta at 13th place with 10.37 million in earnings, and Justice Perlas-Bernabe at 16th place with P10.22 million.
