Sen. Franklin Drilon Monday sought an investigation into the reported excessive salaries being received by top officials of Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage Systems (MWSS).
 
Drilon said such excessive and unwarranted monetary remuneration and perks given for the benefit of board directors and top officials of Government Owned and Controlled Corporations (GOCCs) in the guise of allowances, honoraria and bonuses, is “like rubbing salt to an already open wound.”
 
“As public officers, we are all accountable to the people. How can we expect people to trust us when they see that top government officials are given bonuses left and right, yet we cannot even grant the people their clamor for higher wages?” Drilon said.
 
He filed a resolution directing the Senate Committees on Finance and Government Corporations and Public Enterprises to conduct an investigation into the matter. The probe would also cover other top officials of GOCCs and financial agencies.
 
“In these difficult times when workers both in public and private sectors are clamoring for more decent pay, such reports of excessive and unwarranted benefits and privileges being enjoyed by top officials and board directors of GOCCs and GFIs only exacerbate the level of discontent on the part of our poor countrymen,” Drilon said.
 
Drilon further said these excesses in the use of public funds “have to stop” as these situation has been going on for too long “primarily because of the powers vested in the boards of these institutions to determine and fix their own compensation and benefits.”
 
“As chair of the Finance Committee, I am recommending that the Senate come up with the appropriate legislative measures to rationalize and standardize to a reasonable level, the compensation package of the top government officials with the end in sight of promoting public trust and protecting much needed public funds,” Drilon said.