By Emmanuel T. Erediano
[email protected]
Variety News Staff
GOVERNOR David M. Apatang has certified and approved salaries above the statutory cap for two highway engineers serving at the Department of Public Works.
In certifications dated June 8, 2026, the governor informed Senate President Karl King-Nabors and House Speaker Edmund S. Villagomez that he has approved annual salaries for DPW highway engineers Sesinando Jerry Tolentino and Manolo B. Reyes that exceed the $65,175 cap established under Public Law 21-9, codified at 1 CMC § 8248(a).
Public Law 21-9 states: “Except as provided by law, no employee of the Commonwealth government shall receive an annual salary of more than $65,175.”
Section (b) of the statute further provides that certain professionals — including engineers whose primary responsibilities involve practicing within their profession — may receive salaries above the cap.
It states that such positions include “medical professionals, U.S.- or Commonwealth-licensed attorneys, certified public accountants, engineers and architects whose primary responsibilities include practice within their profession, professionals employed by the legislative branch, biologists, chief geographic information system officers, biometricians, or any other professional positions principal to federal programs and required to meet federally funded grant objectives.”
For executive branch positions, such salaries must be certified by the governor to the presiding officers of the Legislature and the Civil Service Commission. Legislative branch salaries must be approved by the officials with expenditure authority.
The governor said the approval is intended to allow appropriate compensation for additional hours worked in support of federally funded grant objectives tied to recovery efforts following Super Typhoon Sinlaku.
Emmanuel “Arnold” Erediano has a bachelor of science degree in Journalism. He started his career as police beat reporter. Loves to cook. Eats death threats for breakfast.
