Rodrigo Duterte Highest-Paid Politician in the World

It's been a rough year for the politician, but at least he has his millions of dollars to ease the pain. 81-year-old Rodrigo Duterte has taken the No. 1 spot on People With Money’s top 10 highest-paid politicians for 2026 with an estimated $96 million in combined earnings.

UPDATE 20/09/2026 : This story seems to be false. (read more)

Rodrigo Duterte tops annual list of highest-paid politicians

In 2024 it looked like the politician’s spectacular career was winding down. Suddenly, he was back on top. People With Money reports on Saturday (September 19) that Duterte is the highest-paid politician in the world, pulling in an astonishing $96 million between August 2025 and August 2026, a nearly $60 million lead over his closest competition.

People With Money’s factors

In compiling this yearly list, the magazine considers factors such as upfront pay, profit participation, residuals, endorsements and advertising work.

The Filipino politician has an estimated net worth of $275 million. He owes his fortune to smart stock investments, substantial property holdings, lucrative endorsement deals with CoverGirl cosmetics. He also owns several restaurants (the “Fat Duterte Burger” chain) in Manila, a Football Team (the “Maasin Angels”), has launched his own brand of Vodka (Pure Wonderduterte - Philippines), and is tackling the juniors market with a top-selling perfume (With Love from Rodrigo) and a fashion line called “Rodrigo Duterte Seduction”.

The ranking is significant for many Rodrigo fans, who have been waiting for his triumphant return to the glory days for what seems like a lifetime.

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