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Former energy chief credits Aquino for cutting down corruption in gov’t By Abner Galino
AN hour or two before President Benigno Aquino III could deliver his sixth and last State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday (Philippine time), his former energy secretary Carlos Jericho Petilla spoke to the media here in Los Angeles and credited his former boss for cutting down corruption in the government. “I could vouch for (him) on that,” Petilla said, adding that the proof of the success of President Aquino’s anti-corruption drive can be seen in the budget that the government was able to generate. “The numbers that we have is 3 trillion and then you have money for armaments. Yan ang mahirap badyetan eh, defense. Without sacrificing DepEd (Department of Education). Baka naman wala nang matira for DepEd. And of course, debt servicing,” Petilla explained. Part of the administration anti-corruption drive, according to the energy secretary, was President Aquino’s efforts to put the right people on key government posts. Although, he clarified that while not every choice of the president was perfect, they were generally well thought of. These appointees, Petilla said, were mostly drawn from the private sector and were people “who do not need jobs” and instead “sacrificed” to join the government
and serve the people. “We don’t need the government to survive,” Petilla added, implying that he was one those people picked by President Aquino to head a government position because of perceived proficiency and integrity. The former energy chief also said that the anti-corruption campaign of the Aquino administration should be credited for regaining the trust of investors which consequently resulted in a healthy economy. “Pag walang investors confidence, walang mangyayari sa atin,” Petilla stressed. President Aquino, according to Petilla, should also be credited for having the political will to implement or push policies that were deemed to be unpopular. Petilla did not specifically cite any of those unpopular policies pushed by President Aquino but among them were the Reproductive Health Act of 2012 and the Basic Bangsamoro Law which still pending in Congress. Lastly, Petilla said President Aquino’s legacies would also include the ability to keep a big margin of people behind the causes being espoused by his administration. While it has been routine for presidents
Part of the administration anti-corruption drive, according to the energy secretary Carlos Jericho Petilla (leftmost), was President Aquino’s efforts to put the right people on key government posts, who recently held a news conference with the members of FilipinoAmerican media in Los Angeles.
to gradually lose their popularity as their terms progressed, Petilla noted, that President Aquino’s satisfaction rating among the constituents remains relatively high compared to his predecessors. Pressed why he left Cabinet a couple of months back, Petilla admitted that he and President Aquino had some policy differences. However, he said, this was patched up before he resigned and that it ended well for the two of them. The former energy secretary added that
he thought it was the perfect time to leave the Cabinet post as such gave him enough momentum to explore his options. Petilla admitted that he has a plan to run for the Senate in the 2016 elections. He would try to be elected as a senator under a platform that espouses government policies that would make the energy sector serve the interest of the poor. The former energy secretary was also the governor of Leyte before he joined the Cabinet of President Aquino.
JULY 25 Los Angeles – Chanting “China Out of the Philippines, Now” and singing “China, China Magnanakaw,” scores of Filipino-Americans rallied and picketed Friday at the People’s Republic of China (PRC) Los Angeles Consulate to join what they call is a global action against China. The rally was led by organizations such as Bantay Pilipinas-USA, Talakayan sa FACLA, Knights of Rizal-HFT and the Overseas Filipinos for Good Governance (OPGG), a US-wide organization that led the rallies in San Francisco, New York, the Marianas and other places worldwide. The more than an hour-long demonstration was held in front of the PRC Consulate located at 443 Shatto Place St. in Los Angeles. Among the demonstrators was Califor-
nia lawyer Atty. Roman Mosqueda, who said that “This rally is in support of the Philippine government and our delegation at The Hague” where a Philippine delegation argued why China’s actions on the islands within the disputed waters in West Philippine Sea constitute violations against Philippines’ Exclusive Economic Zone territorial claim. According to Mosqueda, “There is ample evidence that the Chinese claim does not hold water and can be described as preposterous.” Along with Mosqueda, other Fil-Am civic leaders included Andrea Aquino of NAM-USA, Dr. Orly Cagampan of the Knight of Rizal and Rotary Club of HFT, Macky Fortu of RVNC and Knights Commander of the KOR-HFT Arturo Garcia and Talakayan sa FACLA.
Can a divorcing couple agree to pay for their adult children’s college expenses in their divorce judgment? Fil-Ams stage protest vs China Divorcing couples with children sometimes worry about who is going to pay for their children’s college education after at China Consulate in Los Angeles the divorce once their children graduates high school. They want a guarantee that their soon to be ex-spouse will share in the college expenses of their children. This is specially the case when the other spouse has moved on with a new family. The old family becomes less of a priority. In California, there is no legal basis for a spouse to request the fam- also think about whether you want this ily court to order the other spouse to pay provision to be non-modifiable or not. In for their adult children’s college expenses. the absence of a specific provision limiting However, the divorcing couple can agree adult child support as non-modifiable and to pay for their adult children’s college non-terminable, the default is that child education as part of a marital settlement support is modifiable. Sometimes, leaving agreement. Family Code section 3587; the adult child support provision as modifiIn re Marriage of Rosenfeld and Gross, able protects the spouses from unforeseen 225 Cal. App. 4th 478 (2014). Pursuant future events such as a disability or retireto statute and court cases, college expense ment which limits the earning capacity of payment provision in a stipulated marital a spouse and ability to comply with the settlement agreement, as incorporated adult child support provision in the MSA. into a Court’s judgment, constitutes adult Please note that this article is not legal child support such that court had jurisdic- advice and is not intended as legal advice. tion to modify the provision in light of the The article is intended to provide only settlement’s failure to specifically provide general, non-specific legal information. that adult child support was not subject to This article is not intended to cover all modification. In re Marriage of Rosenfeld the issues related to the topic discussed. and Gross, 225 Cal. App. 4th at 488 (2014). The specific facts that apply to your matProviding for payment of adult children’s ter may make the outcome different than college expenses is recognized more of an would be anticipated by you. This article “add on” to adult child support. Family does create any attorney client relationship Code 4062(b)(1). between you and the Law Offices of KenHowever, the parties may “opt out” or neth U. Reyes, APLC. This article is not restrict the court’s jurisdiction to modify a solicitation. an adult child support order (including Attorney Kenneth Ursua Reyes is a college expenses) but the parties must Board Certified Family Law Specialist. He expressly and specifically state in their was President of the Philippine American marital settlement agreement that any re- Bar Association. He is a member of both sulting adult child support order will not be the Family law section and Immigration subject to modification or termination by law section of the Los Angeles County the Court because the adult child support Bar Association. He is a graduate of order is rooted in the parent’s contractual Southwestern University Law School in agreement. Cal. Family Code Section Los Angeles and California State Univer3587, 3651(a). sity, San Bernardino School of Business So if you are concerned about your Administration. He has extensive CPA spouse sharing for the college tuition and experience prior to law practice. LAW OFexpenses of your children after the divorce, FICES OF KENNETH REYES, APLC. is you should negotiate a provision in your located at 3699 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 747, marital agreement that both of you will Los Angeles, CA, 90010. Tel. (213) 388share on the college tuition and expenses 1611 or e-mail kureyeslaw@gmail.com of your children. In doing so, you should or visit our website at Kenreyeslaw.com
The rally at the People’s Republic of China (PRC) Los Angeles Consulate was led by organizations such as Bantay Pilipinas-USA, Talakayan sa FACLA, Knights of Rizal-HFT and the Overseas Filipinos for Good Governance (OPGG), a US-wide organization that led the rallies in San Francisco, New York, the Marianas and other places worldwide.