P-Noy Cabinet: Purisima richest, DepEd’s Luistro still poorest

MANILA, Philippines – Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima is now the richest Cabinet member of President Aquino following the resignation of Albert del Rosario as foreign affairs secretary, while Education Secretary Armin Luistro remains the poorest.

This is according to the Cabinet members’ statements of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN) for 2015.

The Malacañang Records Office does not have copies of the SALNs of Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya, Justice Secretary Emmanuel Caparas, Trade Secretary Adrian Cristobal Jr. who replaced Gregory Domingo, and National Economic and Development Authority director general Emmanuel Esguerra.

The others who resigned aside from Del Rosario were interior secretary Manuel Roxas II, who ran for president in the May elections and was replaced by then Western Samar Rep. Mel Senen Sarmiento; chief presidential legal counsel Alfredo Benjamin Caguioa, now a Supreme Court associate justice; Presidential Legislative Liaison Office head Manuel Mamba; energy secretary Jericho Petilla, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority director general Joel Villanueva, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority chairman Francis Tolentino and presidential adviser on food security Francis Pangilinan, who all ran for senator in the last polls.

Petilla was replaced by Zenaida Monsada while Emerson Carlos took over Tolentino’s job as officer-in-charge.

Purisima’s net worth is now P301,328,806, up from P298,940,320 in 2014. Luistro, meanwhile, reported a net worth of P586,107.11 from P471,064.46 in 2014.

Purisima has various investments, real estate properties, club shares, vehicles and jewelry and art collection.

The second richest was Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez Jr. with a net worth of P289,066,800 from P283,425,800 in 2014; Health Secretary Janette Garin with P141,571,768.95; Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala with P92,985,163.41 from P91,170,935.37; and Public Works Secretary Rogelio Singson with P88, 521,628.38 from P82,551,073.80.

Science Secretary Mario Montejo reported a net worth of P63,138,153.24 from P61,108,106; Commission on Filipinos Overseas head Imelda Nicholas, P44,675,258.87; Commission on Higher Education chairperson Patricia Licuanan, P40,443,888.31 from P39,403,341; Budget Secretary Florencio Abad, P34,808,911.39 from P33,817,591.06.

Sarmiento has a net worth of P33,692,420.60; Environment Secretary Ramon Paje, P33.28 million from P31.98 million; National Anti-Poverty Commission head Jose Eliseo Rocamora, P27,442,756.69; Presidential Management Staff chief Julia Abad, P26,310,000 from P23,944,394; Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, P25,143,378.00 from P24,279,137.

Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr.’s net worth was P18,532,886.23 from P24,279,137; National Security Adviser Cesar Garcia Jr., P17,990,000; Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr., unchanged at P16,390,000; Agrarian Reform Secretary Virgilio delos Reyes, P13,441,440.79; presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda, P12,997,905.42 from P12,925,869.48; and National Commission on Muslim Filipinos head Yasmin Lao, P12,812,224.

Monsada reported a net worth of P10,772,247.67; Carlos, P10,075,000; Presidential Adviser on Political Affairs Adviser Ronaldo Llamas, P7,952,666.95 from P6,396,178; Presidential Peace Adviser Teresita Deles, P6,156,574.22 from P4,101,856.77;  Social Welfare Secretary Corazon Soliman, P4,709,000 from P4,547,000; and Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz, P2,269,992.26 from P4,886,760.04