1-PACMAN party-list Rep. Michael Odylon “Mikee” Romero is the richest member of the House of Representatives, the latest Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN) records show.
Romero, whose family owns Harbour Centre Port Terminal, Inc. which operates the Manila North
Harbor terminal, chalked up a total net worth of P7,009,588,018 as of December 31, 2016.
Next to Romero was DIWA Partylist Rep. Emmeline Aglipay-Villar, wife of former Las Piñas City lawmaker and Public Works Secretary Mark Villar, with P1,409,149,497 net worth.
Negros Occidental Rep. Alfredo Abelardo Benitez landed at third spot with P942,964,471 net worth.
Ilocos Norte Rep. Imelda Marcos ranked fourth with P917,800,000.
Former Speaker and Quezon City Rep. Feliciano Belmonte Jr. ranked fifth with P852,132,586.81 networth.
Belmonte was followed by Manila Teachers Partylist Rep. Virgilio Lacson with P768,824,757.93 net worth; Marikina City Rep. Bayani Fernando, P738,000,000; Batangas Rep. Vilma Santos-Recto, wife of Sen. Ralph Recto with P522,610,452; Davao Rep. Antonio Floirendo Jr. with P491,710,128.16 and Leyte Rep. Yedda Marie Romualdez with P477,940,905.
Meanwhile, Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, is the 50th richest lawmaker with a total net worth of P86,498,186.34, while former president and Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo ranked 11th with P434,636,322.52 net worth.
Kabataan party-list Rep. Sarah Jane Elago was the last placer with a P50,000 declared net worth.
This developed as Romero vowed to continue to pursue a social reform advocacy that is contained in majority of the 154 bills and resolutions he filed.
Named among the 50 richest Filipinos in 2017 by Forbes (Asia) Magazine, the 44-year-old Romero declared a net worth of P7 billion, the highest in both the House of Representatives and the Senate.
Three of his 154 legislative proposals were signed into law by President Rodrigo Duterte – the validity of Philippine passport from five to ten years; HB 5633 granting free tuition fee for tertiary education and HB 152 extending validity of driver’s licenses to five years.
He is also the principal author of House Bill 4814 proposing to reduce rate and grant amnesty of estate tax and HB 2158 expanding the powers and duties of the Social Security Commission and increasing retirees’ pension
His pro-poor bills include HB 5347 proposing for the implementation of on-side, in-city or near city strategy for informal settler families; HB 2546 granting mandatory and automatic Philhealth coverage to all persons with disability and HB 5811 or the Magna Carta of the Poor.
“The 1-Pacman partylist legislative agenda seek to address the most significant needs of the Filipino society particularly in the areas of housing and urban reform, agriculture, education and sports,” said Romero.
