Consider Budget Secretary Florencio Abad who has nine relatives in the government, and Environment Secretary Ramon Paje, who likewise listed nine family members in the workplace in his 2013 statement of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN).
Abad’s daughter Julia heads the Presidential Management Staff, while his wife, Henedina, is a deputy speaker at the House of Representatives. According to Secretary Abad’s 2014 SALN, three more nieces and four nephews are in the government. A nephew works in the House, while one niece is a director at the Office of the Appointments Secretary under the Office of the President.
In her 2014 SALN, Julia Abad listed seven relatives in the government, among them her cousin, Myla Salvacion Pisig, a director at the Department of Budget and Management, who was also listed in the elder Abad’s 2014 SALN as a director at President Aquino’s appointments office.
8 for Paje, Alcala; 7 for Petilla
Paje’s 2014 SALN indicated eight relatives in the government, the same number listed by Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala.
Alcala’s brother Vicente represents the second district of Quezon province in Congress, while one nephew is the mayor of Lucena City. Another nephew is a councilor; a cousin, Anacleto, is the city administrator, while a brother, Hermilando, is a barangay (village) captain.
Three of Paje’s eight relatives in the government work as teachers in state universities, while another is a supervisor. A nephew works as a policeman in Bicol.
Energy Secretary Carlos Jericho Petilla listed seven relatives who wield political clout in Leyte province, among them his aunt Carmen Cari, mayor of Baybay town. Cousin Michael Cari is vice mayor, while another cousin, Jose Carlos Cari, represents the fifth district of Leyte at the House.
Petilla’s brother Leopoldo is Leyte governor, while cousin Vincent Emnas is the provincial administrator. Another cousin is a member of the provincial board, while Janette Garin, also a cousin, is health secretary.
Manuel Mamba, head of the Presidential Legislative Liaison Office, listed six relatives in his 2014 SALN. His wife and brother-in-law work in the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, while his brother Francisco is town mayor of Tuao in Cagayan province.
Five each
Four other members of President Aquino’s official family—Cabinet Secretary Jose Rene Almendras, Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz, Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa, and Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima—listed five relatives each in the government.
Nine Cabinet members, including former Health Secretary Enrique Ona, indicated in their 2014 SALNs that they have no relatives in the government.
They are Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr., Trade Secretary Gregory Domingo, Social Welfare Secretary Corazon Soliman, Political Adviser Ronaldo Llamas, Higher Education Chair Patricia Licuanan, Education Secretary Armin Luistro, Food and Agriculture Adviser Francis Pangilinan and Public Works Secretary Rogelio Singson.
Originally posted as of 10:10 PM | Wednesday, May 27, 2015
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