Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima is the richest among the Cabinet members of President Benigno Aquino III, Malacanang said on Wednesday.
Purisima’s statement of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN) showed his assets amounting to P301,328,806.
His assets went up from P298,940,320 in 20124 and P278, 947,249 in 2013.
Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez was second richest in Aquino’s Cabinet with P289,066,800.
Jimenez’s assets also went up from P283,425,800 in 2014 and P282,466,800 in 2013.
Third was Health Secretary Janette Garin with P141,571,768.95. Her SALN of 2014 was not indicated by Malacañang as she was not yet appointed as secretary of the Department of Health during that time.
The “poorest” of the Cabinet officials is still Education Secretary Armin Luistro with only P586,107.11. Luistro was also cited as the “poorest” in the Cabinet of Aquino in 2014.
The other Cabinet members who filed their SALN were:
4. Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala—P92,985,163. 41 (from P91,170,935.37 in 2014);
5.Public Works Secretary Rogelio Singson—P88,521,628. 38 (P82,551,073.80);
6. Science and Technology Secretary Mario Montejo—P63,138,153.24 (P61,108,106);
7. Commission on Filipino Overseas head Imelda Nicholas—P44,675,258.87 (not indicated);
8. Commission on Higher Education Chairperson Patricia Licuanan—P40,443,888.31 (P39,403,341);
9. Budget Secretary Florencio Abad—P34,808,911.39 (P33,817,591.06);
10. Interior and Local Government Secretary Mel Senen Sarmiento—P33,692,420.60 (not indicated);
11. Environment Secretary Ramon Jesus Paje—P33.28 million (P31.98 million);
12. National Anti-Poverty Commission Secretary Jose Eliseo Rocamora—P27,442,756.69 (P15,649,722.15);
13. Presidential Management Staff (PMS) Secretary Julia Abad—P26,310,000 (P23,944,394);
14. Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin—P25,143,378.00 (P24,729,137);
15. Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr.—P18,532,886.23 (P18,123,206.61).
16. National Security Council (NSC) Director General Cesar Garcia, Jr. — P17,990,000 (P17,300,000);
17. Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. —–P16,390,000 (P16,390,000);
18. Agrarian Reform Secretary Virgilio delos Reyes —–P13,441,440.79 (P13,531,891.87);
19. Office of the President (OP) Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda—-P12,997,905.42 ( P12,925,869.48);
20. National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) Secretary Yasmin Lao—P12,812,224 ( P12,024,040.49);
21. Energy Secretary Zenaida Monsada—-P10,772,247.67 (not indicated);
22. Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Officer-In-Charge Emerson Carlos — P10,075,000 (not indicated);
23. Office of the Political Adviser Ronaldo Llamas—-P7,952,666.95 (P6,396,178);
24.Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) Secretary Teresita Deles —-P6,156,574.22 ( P4,101,856.77);
25. Social Welfare Secretary Corazon Soliman— P4,709,000 ( P4,547,000);
26. Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz—-P2,269,992.26 (P4,866,760.04), and;
27. Education secretary Armin Luistro —-P586,107.11 ( P471,064.46)
Among those who have not submitted their SALN as of Wednesday afternoon were Transportation and Communications Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya; Foreign Affairs Secretary Jose Rene Almendras; Justice Secretary Emmanuel Caparas; Trade and Industry Secretary Adrian Cristobal; and Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Emmanuel Esguerra.
Meanwhile, a Rappler report earlier indicated that, in 2015, President Benigno Aquino III’s remaining months as president, he declared a net worth of P68.78 million.
Aquino’s 2015 SALN is just slightly higher than the P68.31 million he declared in his 2014 SALN.
In 2009, a year before he was elected to Malacañang, he declared a net worth of only P15.44 million. His latest SALN showed a huge 345.43% increase in net worth from 2009 to 2015.
Aquino’s increase net worth (in percentage) is even higher than the increase in the net worth of his predecessor, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.