COA: Solidum highest-paid Cabinet member in 2024

MANILA, Philippines — Science Secretary Renato Solidum Jr. took home the biggest paycheck among the Cabinet members of President Marcos in 2024, the latest report of the Commission on Audit (COA) showed.

Based on the COA’s “2024 Report on Salaries and Allowances” or ROSA uploaded on its website on May 26, Solidum received a total pay of P6.38 million last year, an increase of P319,000 from his P6.06-million net pay in 2023.

The audit breakdown showed that Solidum’s net pay for 2024 included P3.43 million in basic salary as Department of Science and Technology (DOST) secretary for 12 months; P1.5 million in allowances; P946,258.10 in bonus, incentives and benefits; P342,067.56 in discretionary and extraordinary and miscellaneous expenses; P24,000 in additional compensation and honorarium, and P142,104.56 from “prior years’ adjustment.”

Solidum’s pay all came from his post as DOST secretary as the audit breakdown showed that he received no compensation for sitting as board member of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, Philippine Coconut Authority and the National Dairy Authority. He, however, received a measly allowance of P13,500 as member of the Board of Regents of Batangas State University.

Solidum took the top spot from Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla whose net pay of P5.28 million from P7.08 million in 2023 relegated him to third spot.

The previous third placer, Commission on Higher Education Chairman Prospero de Vera III, was now the second highest paid Cabinet member with a total income of P5.37 million from P5.19 million in the previous year.

Coming in fourth was Social Welfare Secretary Rex Gatchalian with a net pay of P5.19 million from P4.68 million in 2023, followed by Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma with a net pay of P5.19 million from P5.13 million in the previous year.

At sixth spot was Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa (P5.11 million), followed by Information and Communications Technology Secretary Ivan Uy (P5.03 million); Agrarian Reform Secretary Conrado Estrella III (P4.99 million); Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel (P4.96 million) and Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan (P4.95 million).