MARIO Lipana, a commissioner of the Commission on Audit (COA), has seen his net worth increase by P14.5 million over the past two years, according to his Statements of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALNs). This period coincides with his tenure as a government official linked to a flood control controversy.
GMA Integrated News Research obtained copies of Lipana’s SALNs from January 2022, when he was appointed by then President Rodrigo Duterte, to December 2024.
A report on “24 Oras” by Saleema Refran revealed a 120.532% increase in Lipana’s net worth, climbing from P12.03 million in January 2022 to P26.53 million in December 2024.
Lipana’s name surfaced in connection with a flood control issue when former DPWH Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo alleged that Lipana requested a referral to the DPWH Bulacan 1st District Engineering District.
Former district engineer Henry Alcantara stated that Lipana contacted him in 2022, seeking a list of flood control projects in Bulacan for potential DPWH funding.
Alcantara claimed that Lipana’s budget request was allegedly funded under unprogrammed appropriations, amounting to P500 million in 2023, P400 million in 2024, and a projected P500 million in 2025.
Lipana’s initial SALN as COA commissioner in January 2022 declared a net worth of P12.03 million, largely attributed to eight real estate properties valued at P7.03 million and P4.5 million in cash. At that time, he reported no liabilities.
By December 2022, his net worth had risen to P19.03 million. That same year, Lipana married Marilou Laurio, who is the president and general manager of Olympus Mining and Builders Group Inc. The company secured P1.89 billion worth of infrastructure projects from 2023 to 2025, according to DPWH data.
In his SALN, Lipana identified his wife as a businesswoman but did not disclose any business interests or financial connections. His cash on hand and in bank tripled to P12 million within the year.
By December 2023, Lipana’s net worth reached P23.53 million. His SALN now included nine real estate properties, with the addition of a house and lot in Bulacan valued at P1.5 million. His cash holdings increased to P15 million, and he still reported no liabilities.
As of December 2024, Lipana’s SALN indicates a net worth of P26.53 million, with P18 million in cash. The value of his real estate properties remained at P8.53 million. Lipana continued to declare no liabilities in his latest SALN.
