* ‘As long as I know I’m doing my role as a public servant very well, I can accept criticisms. We cannot please everybody’
- ‘As an empowered and strong-willed woman, I did not encounter any major challenges. If there were, I did not let them hinder me from getting what I want or pursuing my goals and ambitions in life’
- ‘As a person, I’m very transparent to the point that people use my candor to discredit or mock me. That is okay as long as I can give my own honest opinions about issues or things’
*Villar is known for pushing measures aimed at helping poor farmers and fisherfolks and boosting the country's agriculture sector, as well as for the protection of the environment.
* In 2019, Villar, who was elected senator in 2013, emerged as number one in the senatorial race with over 25 million votes for her second term.
She speaks her mind and becomes viral in social media. Some agree, others disagree and strongly criticize her. But for Senator Cynthia Villar, no criticism or setback can stop an "empowered and strong-willed" woman from pursuing an objective.
"As long as I know I’m doing my role as a public servant very well, I can accept criticisms. We cannot please everybody," she told the Manila Bulletin.
This unflinching attitude was pretty much how Villar tackled the various roles she took on -- businesswoman, lawmaker, wife, parent, and advocate for agriculture and the environment.
In celebration of Women’s Month, we interviewed Sen. Villar to share her views on empowered women who have various roles to play.
"As an empowered and strong-willed woman, I did not encounter any major challenges. If there were, I did not let them hinder me from getting what I want or pursuing my goals and ambitions in life," Villar said.
Villar is known for pushing measures aimed at helping poor farmers and fisherfolks and boosting the country's agriculture sector, as well as for the protection of the environment.
Through a private initiative, Senator Villar created the Villar SIPAG (Social Institute for Poverty Alleviation and Governance) Foundation, to support her advocacies for agriculture, environment, livelihood and poverty alleviation.
From private life to politics
Coming from a wealthy political family that dominated Las Piñas City in the south of Metro Manila for decades, Villar kept a private life for several years.She chose to focus on business, building her foundation with a business administration degree from the University of the Philippines to a masters degree from New York University.
It was only when her husband, Manny Villar, ended his term as a congressman that she ventured into politics. In 2001, she became the Las Piñas representative. During her term, she focused on legislation for women, children and family.
25 million votes
In 2019, Villar, who was elected senator in 2013, emerged as number one in the senatorial race with over 25 million votes for her second term.Looking back, she said: "I did not expect it, but I really worked hard for everything I did, so I think the record number of votes I received was the result of my hard work. And I thank our countrymen for appreciating my hard work.”
Since the 17th Congress, she had pushed for the passage of the "Coconut Farmers and Industry Development Act," which would disburse the P100-billion coconut levy charged from for coconut farmers during the Marcos administration. President Duterte recently signed this into law.
Villar also counts as achievements Republic Act 10659 or the Sugar Industry Development Act; RA 10654 or the act to prevent, deter, and eliminate illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing; the RA 10848 or the act extending the period of implementation of the Agricultural Competitiveness Enhancement Fund up to year 2022; the RA 10845 or the act declaring large-scale agricultural smuggling as economic sabotage; the RA 10816 or the Farm Tourism Development Act; the RA 10817 or the Philippine Halal Export Development and Promotion Act.
She also supported local bills creating multi-specie marine hatchery/ nurseries and provincial training centers in various local government units. She had also pushed for the opening of 1,955 farm schools all over the country supported by Technical Education and Skills Development Authority
For the environment
For the environment, the Nacionalista Party lawmaker pushed for the amendment of Republic Act (RA) 7586 or the National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS) Act. The law provides the legal framework for the establishment and management of protected areas in the country.
She has also been vocal against reclamation projects in the Manila Bay, stressing such will eventually affect the Las Pinas-Parañaque Wetland Park, a 182-hectare critical habitat of wildlife that is of international importance.
In 2012, she filed a Petition for Writ of Kalikasan against a reclamation bound to encroach upon the area of the said wetland.
Recently, Villar filed Senate Bill No. 2078 or the “Revised Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act of 2021," amending a 20-year-old law to strengthen the wildlife conservation and protection mechanism in the country.
Women’s rights
During her stint in the House of Representatives, Villar also pushed to uphold women's rights, filing, among others, a bill expanding the prohibited acts of discrimination against women in the work place.
Just this month, she joined female colleagues in the Senate in filing Senate Bill No. 2088, or the proposed Gender Responsive and Inclusive Pandemic Management Act. That calls for the creation of programs and protocols that address the unique needs of women during disasters and public health emergencies.
Transparent, outspoken
Today, Villar chairs the Senate committees on agriculture and environment -- two interests she is passionate about.
She's also honest about her opinions. Often, her bluntness has attracted severe criticism in social media. But when she realizes how her comments had not been taken well, she would apologize and clarify her remarks.
"As a person, I’m very transparent to the point that people use my candor to discredit or mock me. That is okay as long as I can give my own honest opinions about issues or things," she said.
Family business
Villar has also been open about her family's successful businesses which she attributed to hard work.
"We grew not because of our influence but really it's hard work and perseverance...We never used our political influence to make our company," Villar had said to fellow senators in a forum last year.
She is the richest senator, with a declared net worth P3.8 billion at the end of 2019, with no liabilities. Her husband, who is former Senate president Manuel Villar, was named by Forbes magazine as the richest Filipino in 2020, having an estimated net worth of $5.5 billion.
The family’s businesses include property development, water distribution, convenience stores, coffee shops, and a mall.
Family, most valued treasure
Villar credits her success to her family.
"Like most people, I owe a great deal of my success and achievement of course to my parents. They have sacrificed a lot in raising me and my siblings. They provided us with a good headstart in life by providing us good education," she said.
"As a public servant, I really admire my late father, his brand of public service is really worth emulating. My mother's hard work and 'diskarte sa buhay' is admirable," she said.
Partners
She calls her husband as her partner in everything in life.
"Manny and I have always been partners in everything in life. We were classmates in the university. We started our business together after we got married. We support each other in every endeavor in life. That's what partners do. And that's why we are part of each other's success."
She said their partnership had helped raise their children— Paolo, now the president of VistaLand and who holds a number of key positions in their business; Mark, who is the secretary of the Department of Public Works and Highways; and Camille, incumbent Las Piñas representative and one of the House of Representatives' deputy speakers.
Discipline
"I am usually the so-called 'bad cop' because I am stricter. It's okay, what's important is that as parents, you are united on how you will treat or discipline your children, so your approach is consistent and complementary. You should not contradict each other too much also," she said.
Of all her achievements, Villar considers her family as her most valued treasure.
"With all my achievements and awards, I still consider my family as my most cherished treasure -- my husband Manny and my children Paolo, Mark and Camille," she said in her Facebook page.
Women in power
She is convinced that women can conquer business and politics, sectors that were once dominated by men.
"Business and politics are not as dominated by males now. In fact, in the Senate, during the last few Congresses, there was a record number of us women now. Unlike before, there were just one or two at a time. There are six of us now, so that's one-fourth of the Senate."