Cabinet members name kin in government

MANILA, Philippines – They may have given up lucrative family businesses to join President Aquino’s administration, but even in government, family ties still run deep for many Cabinet members.

Statements of Assets and Liabilities and Net worth or SALN submitted by Cabinet officials to the Commission on Appointments (CA) showed their families’ government connections, as well as their loved ones’ existing business interests.

Public Works Secretary Rogelio Singson identified Ilocos Sur Gov. Luis Singson as his cousin. His wife Isabel is involved in realty/leasing business and is president of Rois Realty Inc.

Energy Secretary Jose Rene Almendras’ sister, Agnes Magpale, is Cebu provincial board member. His nephew, Miguel Antonio Magpale, is Danao City councilor.

Almendras was listed as agro-industrial/member of the board of directors of the JD Almendras Agro-Industrial Corp. in Cebu.

Agrarian Reform Secretary Virgilio de los Reyes is connected to Culinary Innovators Inc., Govida Studios Inc., De Los Reyes Law Office and De Los Reyes Realty.

His brother Venancio is division chief at the Department of Labor and Labor Employment while cousins Ma. Consuelo de los Reyes and Cynthia Boquia work as a teacher and a professor in public educational institutions, respectively.

The wife of Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala, a former Quezon representative, is executive vice president and chief financial officer of Cotta Realty Development Corp., Cotta Builders Construction Corp. and also part of Pueblo Por La Playa Leisure Association Inc.

Alcala’s relatives in government include his son, Quezon 2nd district Rep. Irvin Alcala, Lucena City Vice Gov. Vicente Alcala; Cotta, Lucena City barangay captain Hermilando Alcala Jr.; Maria Fe Constantino, administrative officer, Philippine Coconut Authority Region IV; and engineer Renato Alcala, Department of Public Works and Highways, Quezon 2nd district.

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima’s aunt Lilia is director general of the Philippine Economic Zone Authority while a cousin-in-law, Anicia Marasigan-de Lima is assistant commissioner at the Civil Service Commission.

Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr.’s wife, Josephine is stockholder and president of Thinkpop, Inc. and Think Pink Productions.

Ochoa’s relatives in government include sister Ma. Benita Regala, officer-in-charge, National Housing Authority; brother-in-law Virgilio Regala, architect with the Quezon City government; Science and Technology Secretary Mario Montejo is also a brother-in-law and cousin Lutgardo Navarro works at the Light Rail Transit Authority. DOST’s Montejo is involved in Tree Top Adventure Philippines Inc, an eco-tourism project in Subic Bay, Olongapo and NW Steel Technologies Inc., a construction business in Pulilan, Bulacan.

Trade Secretary Gregory Domingo’s wife, Rowena is a shareholder in Rights Security while daughter, Sophia is executive assistant at the Department of Finance.

Tourism Secretary Alberto Lim is president/trustee of Aldaba Lim Foundation Inc. and qualifying shareholder at Philippine Playhouse Inc., The Ancient Pergamon Holdings Corp., South Marengo Inc., Luckyboys Inc., Snapshop Inc., D ‘Alba Holdings Corp., B&B Holdings Corp. and Ben & Diwata Baluyut Holdings Inc.

Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin is board member of Great Cakes Inc. and wife Rhodora is corporate secretary. Gazmin’s son, Leandro is director at the Agri-Business and Marketing Assistance Service at the Department of Agriculture in Quezon City.

Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima, one of the campaign contributors of President Aquino, listed business interests and financial connections – in partnership with his wife Maria Corazon – in at least four corporations.

The finance secretary owns Filhouse Gem Inc., which he acquired on Feb. 24, 1997.

Purisima’s wife listed 20 to 23.53 percent share in MHC Commercial Corp., Zurcaled Realty and Development, and Archimedes Realty and Development Corp.

Purisima has first cousins in government, namely Christian Daniel Purisima, San Ildefonso, Ilocos Sur provincial board member; Mark Anthony Purisima, San Ildefonso, Ilocos Sur mayor; Angel Purisima III, chief legal administrative officer, Manila; Angel Purisima IV, security officer 3, Manila; Ma. Lina Ninora, supervising teller, Land Bank of the Philippines, General Santos City.

Social Welfare and Development Secretary Corazon Soliman’s husband, Hector is part of the Burkely & Aquino Law Office.

Acting Environment Secretary Ramon Paje’s wife, Joseliza is president of a company called Purplelink Inc., a property management firm; Velox Trading, Atius Consultancy and chairman of SpiceAsia Inc., a food company.

His relatives in government are: sister Marlene Rodriguez, director at National Economic and Development Authority in Cebu City; nephew Jon Reburiano is with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources; sister Victoria Blaza is supervisor with the Philippine Insurance Corp.; sister Edna Hingco is vice president of Land Bank in Legazpi City; niece Krisma Rodriguez, is forester at the Department of Environment and Natural Resources; sister Evelyn Sy is supervisor at the National Food Authority in Occidental Mindoro; and brother-in-law, Domingo Angeles is University of the Philippines-Los Baños professor.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo’s son Roman is Pasig City representative; daughter Bernadette Puyat is Department of Agriculture undersecretary; daughter Guadalupe Paraiso is foreign service staff officer IV at the DFA; son Erwin Romulo is consultant with the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp.; cousin Roberto Romulo is senior adviser to the President; cousin Agustin Bengzon is president and chief executive officer of NDC Maritime Leasing Corp.; and sister Rissa Resurreccion, is a casual employee at the Philippine Consulate in New York.

Aside from stocks and investments amounting to more than P74 million, Health Secretary Enrique Ona’s declared business connections included the following: member of Capitol Hills Club, Valle Verde Club, and Tower Club of the Philam Properties; and stockholder in Intergen Properties, Interlab Properties, Malipajo Corp., Medical City Hospital, Philippine Lithotripter Inc., Polymedic Hospital and investor in Manila Mining, Manila Electric Co., La Tondeña Distillery, Alaska Milk, Petron Corp., San Miguel Corp, International Container Terminal Services Inc.

Officials are required to submit SALN to ensure that they have no derogatory financial records or potential for financial mischief while in government.

Based on his SALN, Aquino is worth P50.194 million. His real estate property valued at P33.755 million includes a house in Quezon City, which he declared to be worth P13.8 million.

Cabinet members who are richer than the President are Purisima, Domingo, Almendras, Alcala, Singson, Ona, Montejo and Lim. Education Secretary Armin Luistro, former president of the De La Salle University, is the only non-millionaire in the Aquino Cabinet. His declared net worth is P89,393.34.

Ironically, there is no available SALN yet for Budget Secretary Florencio Abad at the CA.

Liabilities

Almendras listed P26.510 million in liabilities which included a house and lot, and two Ayala Land condominium units.

Prior to his stint in government, Almendras was the president of Manila Water Co., Inc. He also sat in the Ayala Corp. as managing director.

DOT’s Lim listed P22.438-million liabilities which included a credit card charge, accounts payable to the Makati Business Club close to P560,000.

Alcala’s liabilities totaled 17.264 million covering P11.447-million real estate loan, three car loans and some P2-million personal loan from a certain Demosthenes/Vida Dimaano.

DOH’s Ona declared liabilities worth P6 million.

Montejo of DOST listed P5.9-million liabilities comprising P4.9-million home loan with a bank and a personal loan of P1 million.

DSWD Secretary Soliman has a liability totaling to P1.905 million covering P700,000 housing loan with the NHMFC, credit card charges of P504,000, a housing loan with a private bank, and a car loan of P213,000.

Gazmin’s liabilities amounted to P1.8 million, while Romulo’s totaled P1.5 million.

De Lima listed P954,000 liabilities covering a car loan, personal loans and guarantees.

DAR’s De los Reyes listed P629,191.63 in liabilities. Purisima listed only P500,000 in liabilities.

Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz declared P442,011 liabilities while DTI’s Domingo listed no liabilities. Ochoa, Singson and Presidential Communications Operations Secretary Herminio Coloma declared no liabilities. –Aurea Calica and Christina Mendez (The Philippine Star)