THE left-leaning Bagong Alyansang Mabakabayan on Thursday urged President Rodrigo Duterte to review the “scandalous and fat salaries and bonuses” of top government officials.
The group made the statement following a Commission on Audit report showing those officials received as much as P13.9 million a year or P1.15 million a month.
Citing the agency’s 2015 report, Bayan secretary-general Renato Reyes Jr. said the top earners from the national government included executives of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, Government Service Insurance System, Social Security System, Development Bank of the Philippines, Land Bank of the Philippines, the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. and the Bases Conversion Development Authority.
“BSP Governor Amado Tetangco was the top earner, getting P13.9 million a year,” Reyes said.
Tetangco was followed by GSIS president Robert Vergara who received P13.4 million, he said.
Teresita Herbosa of the Securities and Exchange Commission was on third spot after she received P8.9 million in 2015.
Reyes called attention to the “obscene perks” of executives of the Social Security System following former President Benigno Aquino III’s move to veto the proposed P2,000 increase in the pension of retired SSS members.
SSS president Emilio de Quiros, he said, was the 11th highest paid official with P8.2 million after also receiving additional compensation as a board Member of PhilHealth.
“For the SSS, De Quiros received P6.57 million,” Reyes said.
“Four vice presidents received more than P4 million each for 2015. Twelve other vice presidents received more than P3 million each. Four other commissioners received P3 million each.
“De Quiros received P1.6 million in allowances and another P1.6 million in bonuses and other benefits as president of the SSS.
“Former President Aquino vetoed a 2,000-peso pension hike saying there were not enough funds, yet his appointed officials at the SSS and other government-owned and -controlled corporations were being given high salaries and other perks.”
Reyes said the new administration could now correct the “injustice.”
“President Duterte has been known to promote simple living among public officials,” Reyes said. “These huge perks, bonuses and allowances from the previous administration stand in stark contrast to what is being promoted by the President.
“Some of the bonuses are scandalous considering that the government plans to raise taxes again.”