Most senior officials of PCOO grew richer last year

MANILA, Philippines — Most senior officials of the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) grew richer last year, their statements of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN) showed.

PCOO Undersecretary for new media and external affairs Lorraine Badoy’s net worth totaled P4.75 million in 2018. Badoy’s net worth jumped by more than 85 percent from P2.556 million in 2017.

Undersecretary for media accreditation and former television reporter Feducia Mia Lucas reported a 2018 net worth of P4.46 million, higher by 25.63 percent from P3.55 million in 2017. Undersecretary for legal affairs Marvin Gatpayat’s net worth increased by 11.4 percent from P3.599 million in 2017 to P4.01 million last year.

The net worth of Assistant Secretary for special concerns Joseph Lawrence Garcia rose by 29.74 percent from P2.32 million in 2017 to P3.01 million last year. Assistant Secretary Ramon Cualoping III, meanwhile, declared a 2018 net worth of P7.45 million, higher by 18.25 percent from P6.3 million in the previous year.

The net worth of PCOO Secretary Martin Andanar totaled P160.49 million last year, higher by one percent than the P158.8 million he declared in his 2017 SALN.

Assistant Secretary for content and messaging Rachel Queenie Rodulfo, who is on study leave abroad, reported a 2018 net worth of P3.6 million, up by 5.88 percent from P3.4 million two years ago.

Undersecretary for good governance, government-owned and controlled corporations and finance George Apacible’s net worth was unchanged from 2017 at P48.41 million.

Only Assistant Secretary for media accreditation and relations and former television reporter Florentino Loyola reported a lower net worth at least among the officials whose SALNs were available. Loyola’s net worth dipped by 2.93 percent from P4.17 million in 2017 to P4.048 million last year.

Undersecretary for broadcasting and mass media and former PTV 4 operations chief Raquel Tobias reported a 2018 net worth of P643,000. Tobias, known to viewers as Rocky Ignacio, was named PCOO undersecretary in October last year.

The SALNs of Assistant Secretary for policy Michel Kristian Ablan and Assistant Secretary for operations and legislative affairs Ana Maria Rafael were not included in the documents released by Malacañang. Ablan declared a 2017 net worth of P1.8 million while Rafael’s net worth totaled P4.436 million in the same year.