Real estate tycoon and billionaire, Manny Villar, was conferred the prestigious Accountancy Centenary Award of Excellence in recognition of his integrity and vital contributions to the development of the accounting profession in the Philippines.
This distinct honor was given to Villar as one of the 100 notable Filipino certified public accountants (CPAs) “who have proven themselves worthy of honor and emulation” and “who demonstrated unquestionable integrity, contributed immensely in the advancement of the accountancy profession, and participated remarkably in national development.”
Villar was feted by the Professional Regulatory Board of Accountancy (PRBOA), Philippine Institute of Certified Public Accountants (PICPA), Association of Certified Public Accountants in Commerce and Industry (ACPACI), Association of Certified Public Accountants in Public Practice (ACPAPP), Government Association of Certified Public Accountants (GACPA) and the National Association of Certified Public Accountants in Education (nACPAE), in celebration of the 100th year anniversary of the accountancy profession in the country.
“It is a tremendous honor to be included in the Centenary Awardees for Excellence. I am infinitely humbled to be included in the who’s who, the hall of fame, of the field of Philippine accountancy. The list of 100 notable Certified Public Accountants, vetted and approved by the board, is indeed the epitome of excellence, unquestionable integrity, and immeasurable contribution not only to the field but to the Filipino nation as well,” Villar said.
A Certified Public Accountant, Villar graduated from the University of the Philippines with the degree of Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Masters in Business Administration. He worked at the premier accounting firm in the Philippines, Sycip, Gorres, Velayo & Co. (SGV & Co.), prior to establishing his groundbreaking venture into real estate development.
He currently serves as the Chairman of the Board of Vista Land and Lifescapes, Inc., one of the leading integrated property developers in the Philippines and the largest homebuilder in the country, with well-known residential brands such as Camella, Crown Asia, Brittany and Vista Residences, and commercial property development, Vista Malls. At present, he is focused on creating township developments, Vista Estates, comprising upscale residential enclaves, high-rise residential condominiums, office towers and commercial properties.
Villar is also the Chairman of the Board of AllValue, the retail conglomerate that includes home improvements retailer AllHome, grocery chain AllDay Supermarket, and Coffee Project, among other retail and restaurant businesses. He also chairs Golden MV Holdings Inc., another publicly listed company that includes Golden Haven, the largest Philippine deathcare property developer in terms of number of projects.
He holds the distinction of being the only post-war public official who became Speaker of the House of Representatives and President of the Philippine Senate.