By Haidee V. Eugenio
Variety Assistant Editor

REPRESENTATIVE Stanley Torres, Ind.-Saipan, wants a mandatory 10 percent cut in the salaries of elected officials, members of the judiciary and other officials who are exempt from Public Law 15-24 or the austerity Friday law.
Torres, one of only four members of the House who have voluntarily taken a 10 percent cut in their salaries, said he plans to introduce the bill soon.
“The bill will include lawmakers, directors, judges, justices and other officials who are not working on austerity Fridays but don’t get their salaries cut,” Torres told Variety yesterday.
An Office of the Public Auditor review shows that only 11 of 34 elected officials and none among the eight members of the judiciary have voluntarily taken a 10 percent cut in their salaries while hundreds of lower paid government employees are forced to take the 10 percent salary cut in order to keep their jobs.
“The bill will require all officials to share the burden,” Torres said.
Besides Torres, other House members who volunteered to have their salaries cut to help the cash-strapped government deal with its financial crisis are Reps. Absalon Waki Jr., Covenant-Saipan, Frank S. Dela Cruz, Covenant-Saipan, and Cinta M. Kaipat, Covenant-Saipan.
Vice Speaker Justo S. Quitugua, D-Saipan, has been donating his salary to the CNMI Scholarship Office.
In the Senate, Senate President Joseph M. Mendiola, Covenant-Tinian, and Sen. Maria T. Pangelinan, D-Saipan, have accepted pay cuts, while Senate Vice President Pete P. Reyes, Ind.-Saipan, donates his salary to the CNMI Scholarship Office.
Public Auditor Mike Sablan earlier said that “the voluntary acceptance of a 10 percent reduction by all elected officials and members of the judiciary would serve as a morale booster and encourage employees throughout the government to be more supportive and understanding of their forced reduction in pay.”
He said if all of the 34 elected officials and eight members of the judiciary voluntarily elected to accept a 10 percent reduction, the government would save an additional $200,000 per year.
The second phase of OPA’s review will focus on the austerity measure participation of cabinet members, other appointed government officials like agency directors and comptrollers, and heads of autonomous agencies.