Interchange Blog
Mikey, 3rd wealthiest party-lister
Outgoing Rep. Juan Miguel “Mikey” Arroyo of Ang Galing Pinoy party-list made it to the list of top 10 richest party-list lawmakers in the House of Representatives.
Based on the 2012 Summary Report of the House members’ Statement of Assets and Liabilities released by the House of Representatives’ Office of the Secretary General on Thursday, Arroyo had P100.6 million net worth, making him the third wealthiest party-list lawmaker behind Rep. Catalina Bagasina of the Association of Laborers and Employees with P113.8 million net worth and Rep. Teodorico Haresco of Ang Kasangga with P104.8 million.
Arroyo, the son of former president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo who is under hospital arrest because of a pending plunder case, had P27 million worth of real properties, P91.3 million personal properties and P17.7 million payables.
Bagasina, the richest among fellow party-list lawmakers, posted P66.5 million worth of real properties, P47.2 million personal properties and no liabilities.
Haresco, who won as a district representative for Aklan in the last May polls, finished third among his party-list colleagues with P62 million real properties under his name alongside P83 million personal properties and P40 million liabilities.
Completing the top 10 list of richest party-list legislators include: Reps. Christopher Co of Ako Bicol (P87.7 million), Michael Velarde, Jr. of Buhay party-list (P52.8 million), Weslie Gatchalian of Alay Buhay (P45.5 million), Rodel Batocabe of Ako Bicol (P29.2 million), Carol Jayne Lopez of You Against Corruption and Poverty (P29 million), Sharon Garin of Ang Asosayon Sang Mangunguma Bisaya-Owa Mangunguman, Inc. (P26.7 million) and Eulogio Magsaysay of Alliance of Volunteer Educators (P25.9 million).
But in overall rankings, the top 10 wealthiest party-list lawmakers were still pale in comparison with their district representative colleagues.
Bagasina, who ranked No. 1 among richest party-list lawmakers, placed 24th in the overall ranking. Haresco was a distant second at 26th, while Arroyo ranked 29th.
Co was 36th overall, followed by Velarde at 63rd, Gatchalian at 79th, Batocabe at 121st, Lopez at 123rd, Garin at 129th and Magsaysay at 130th.
Republic Act 7941 or the Party-list System Act allows Filipino citizens belonging to the marginalized and underrepresented sectors, organizations and parties, and those who lack well-defined political constituencies, to become members of the House of Representatives.