SCIENCE and Technology Secretary Renato Solidum Jr. took home a total pay of P6.379 million last year, enough to earn him the distinction as 2024’s highest-paid member of the Marcos Cabinet.
He dislodged 2023’s top earner, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla, who only managed third place with P5.275 million in total compensation behind second placer Higher Education Secretary Prospero de Vera, who received P5.372 million in total income.
The figures were contained in the 1,443-page 2024 Report on Salaries and Allowances (ROSA) that the Commission on Audit (COA) released on May 27 in its official website.
Year-on-year data comparison showed Solidum’s pay in 2024 increased by P319,000 from P6.06 million the year before, when he placed second in the COA list.
Solidum’s pay came entirely from his DOST post as he received no salaries for sitting in the governing boards of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA), the Batangas State University (BSU), and the National Dairy Authority (NDA).
The breakdown of his pay showed he received P3.43 million in basic salary, P1.5 million in allowances, P946,258 in bonuses, incentives, and benefits, as well as other small amounts as honoraria and extraordinary and miscellaneous expenses.
The complete list of Cabinet members and their pay:
1. Science and Technology Secretary Renato Solidum Jr. (P6.379 million)
2. Higher Education Secretary Julian Prospero de Vera (P5.372 million)
3. Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla (P5.275 million)
4. Social Welfare Secretary Rex Gatchalian (P5.191 million)
5. Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma (P5.187 million)
6. Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa (P5.107 million)
7. Information and Communications Technology Secretary Ivan Uy (P5.029 million)
8. Agrarian Reform Secretary Conrado Estrella III (P4.991 million)
9. Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel (P4.964 million)
10. Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan (P4.951 million)
11. Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla (P4.948 million)
12. Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco (P4.918 million)
13. Presidential Legislative Liaison Office (PLLO) Secretary Mark Mendoza (P4.917 million)
14. Special Assistant to the President Antonio Lagdameo Jr. (P4.84 million)
15. Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin (P4.83 million)
16. Finance Secretary Ralph Recto (P4.829 million)
17. Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Juan Ponce Enrile (P4.827 million)
18. Economic Development (NEDA) Secretary Arsenio Balisacan (P4.814 million)
19. Human Settlements and Urban Development Secretary Jose Acuzar (P4.783 million)
20. Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro (P4.781 million)
21. Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo (P4.743 million)
22. Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman (P4.719 million)
23. Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista (P4.718 million)
24. Presidential Assistant for Eastern Mindanao Leo Magno (P4.714 million)
25. Presidential Adviser for Poverty Alleviation Lorenzo Gadon (P4.668 million)
26. National Security Adviser Eduardo Año (P4.612 million)
27. Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation, and Unity Carlito Galvez Jr. (P4.602 million)
28. National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) Secretary Lope Santos (P4.563 million)
29. Environment Secretary Maria Antonia Loyzaga (P4.494 million)
30. Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Cacdac (P4.27 million)
31. Presidential Communications Secretary Cheloy Garafil (P3.441 million)
32. Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos Jr. (P3.281 million)
33. Trade Secretary Alfredo Pascual (P3.22 million)
34. National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) Secretary Guiling Mamondiong (P2.448 million)
35. TESDA Secretary Suharto Mangudadatu (P2.882 million)
36. Education Secretary Juan Edgardo Angara (P2.129 million)
The listed figures opposite the names of Secretaries Garafil, Abalos, Mamondiong, Mangudadatu, and Angara were not their full year compensation, as they have only served in their respective posts for part of 2024 either as new appointees or having been transferred to another office.
