Sen. Paul Manglona is working for the people of the Commonwealth for free. The Rota senator does not collect the $32,000 per year paycheck he is entitled to. Instead, Mr. Manglona, who previously retired from the Commonwealth government, continues to receive his pension.
“I’ve been collecting CNMI retirement benefits for at least the past 6 years,” Mr. Manglona told Kandit. “My legislative salary goes to the CNMI Scholarship Office pursuant to our law.”
Mr. Manglona made these comments in response to Kandit’s question to all senators whether they will follow Sen. Celina Roberto Babauta’s lead in voluntarily cutting her salary. The proceeds of Ms. Babauta’s 10 percent pay cut will be going to a program at Kagman High School.
Ms. Babauta decided to cut her pay to show solidarity with executive branch employees, who face a 10 percent pay cut starting next week.
Mr. Manglona was the only senator to respond in agreement with Ms. Babauta.
Senate President Edith Deleon Guerrero replied to Kandit’s email questioning the details of Ms. Babauta’s salary donation and how it would affect her income taxes. Ms. Deleon Guerrero wrote she would directly address the question on whether she would voluntarily cut her pay, but never did.
In light of the crippling financial situation in the Commonwealth and despite his lack of payroll income, Mr. Manglona said he and his family will be restarting a scholarship effort to help students.
“I’m in the process of resuming granting annual scholarship through our Kolehio Foundation, which my family started in 1989 to help Rota students,” Mr. Manglona said. “In addition to doing fundraisers, we also donate personally to this foundation.”
Ms. Babauta recently succeeded in convincing regional businessman Ho Eun, who founded The Core Tech Foundation with his wife, to extend annual scholarships to students of the Commonwealth.
7 Comments
Joe
03/27/2023 at 8:38 PM
Paul is not supposed to donate his salary to any institution because he is directly benefiting himself with it by receiving votes through that donations. In fact, there ought to be a law against it and any retiree wanting to serve the public should do so without condition. This is buying votes any which way you look at it. Enough lai gachong!
Russ Mason
03/28/2023 at 12:26 PM
There’s no evidence of that, Joe. You’re speculation is unfounded. Come up with facts, proof.
Sunshine
04/10/2023 at 9:51 AM
He should not be able to draw any kind of salary. He’s been a senator for well over 20/30+ years! He leached off enough of the governments money & we all know it. Paul was not elected to be a senator. The seat was for someone else who decided he did not want the seat. Retire old man! let the man’hoben come in… what PAUL should do is take care of his sick wife.. i mean…
elkapitan
03/28/2023 at 8:40 AM
Again, I will say that by Sen. Paul, not collecting his salary and only living on his retirement income, while the gesture the is good, but if the object is to save the NMI Govt. needed funds, that is not being done by his salary being redirected and donated to another area.
In fact this being the case it would be better he only collect his salary and not collect his retirement income as that would actually help save the retirement fund.
There are two payouts instead of one. Only on surface ‘look good’ benefits with no cost savings.
Russ Mason
03/29/2023 at 4:04 PM
“Donated to another area?” Too vague to mean anything. Facts would certainly help.
elkapitan
03/29/2023 at 7:17 PM
It is stated in the article, it goes to the “CNMI scholarship office”.
BTW good to see you are still around and apparently healthy. I notice you are not on the regular “biased” media anymore.
These two online media usually edit much the comments that many times change meanings or not publish the comment or later on take the comments down as the offended corrupted complain and have have the media owners that are in bed with them take the comments down.
Russ Mason
03/31/2023 at 11:21 AM
After five years of providing free articles, mostly on health, Laila Boyer Yoonis and her “pal” Norma, showed me the door. I miss doing the stories, however.
Thanks Cap!