By Fernan Angeles
SENATOR Cynthia Villar remains the richest member of the Philippine Senate. However, doubt shrouds the figure she declared over a Forbes report that had her husband former Senator Manny Villar the second richest tycoon with a net worth of $5 billion.
In the 2019 summary of the Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth of senators, Sen. Villar topped the list with a P3.81-billion net worth.
Her husband, according to Forbes Magazine, has stakes in real estate, land development, retail, utilities, among other businesses in the country. Mr. Villar’s net worth is estimated at around P282.9 billion, skyrocketing past the wealth of ports magnate Enrique Razon and heirs of the late mall tycoon Henry Sy, among others, according to a Forbes survey released in the second quarter of 2020.
Boxing champion Sen. Manny Pacquiao is the second wealthiest senator with a net worth of P3.17-billion.
Detained Sen. Leila de Lima, who was accused of profiting from the sale of illegal narcotics in the national penitentiary, is the poorest senator in 2019 with a P8.32 million net worth.
Below is the complete ranking of the senators based on their latest declared net worth:
1) Sen. Cynthia Villar: P3,814,091,438
2) Sen. Manny Pacquiao: P3,172,524,957
3) Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto: P567,438,429
4) Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri: P203,667,746
5) Sen. Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr.: P176,363,262
6) Sen. Sonny Angara: P142,212,659
7) Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon: P102,259,501
😎 Sen. Grace Poe: P97,631,508
9) Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian: P95,404,344
10) Sen. Pia Cayetano: P82,774,150
11) Senate President Vicente Sotto III: 77,772,861
12) Sen. Richard Gordon: P71,207,733
13) Sen. Lito Lapid: P70,948,600
14) Sen. Francis Tolentino: P61,172,000
15) Sen. Nancy Binay: P60,318,928
16) Sen. Panfilo Lacson: P48,959,138
17) Sen. Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III: P36,308,400
18) Sen. Imee Marcos: P34,020,467
19) Sen. Ronald Dela Rosa: P33,025,241
20) Sen. Joel Villanueva: P30,249,305
21) Sen. Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan: P19,975,821
22) Sen. Christopher “Bong” Go: P18,391,012
23) Sen. Risa Hontiveros: P16,050,112
24) Sen. Leila De Lima: P8,323,470