Autobiography

of Sen. Cynthia Villar

SAKITO, Judylyn D. 09-02-19

ABM-B
Cynthia Aguilar Villar (born Cynthia Ampaya Aguilar, July 29, 1950) is a
Filipino politician currently serving as a Senator of the Philippines. She is the wife
of billionaire businessman Manny Villar, the richest individual in the country. She
was a member of the House of Representatives for the Lone District of Las
Piñas from 2001-2010 before winning a seat in the Senate in 2013, placing tenth.
Villar topped the Senate race with 25 million votes, the most votes in election
history, and was re-elected for a second term in the Senate on the 2019 elections.
Villar was born on July 29, 1950 in the then-municipality of Muntinlupa to
Filemon Aguilar, a long-time mayor of Las Piñas and congressman, and Lydia
Ampaya.
She spent her elementary years at the Muntinlupa Elementary School, where she
graduated in 1962. In 1966, she graduated high school from the Philippine Christian
University. She then obtained a degree in Bachelor of Science in Business
Administration at the University of the Philippines Diliman (UP Diliman) in 1970. It
is where in UP she met her future husband, Senator Manny Villar. Two years later, in
1972, she obtained a master's degree in Business Administration at the New York
University.
She practiced as a financial analyst at the Philippine Shares Corporation and a
professor at the Far Eastern University before marrying Villar in 1975. After her
marriage, she help her husband in managing his business ventures and became the
director and vice president of the Household Finance Corporation. She later managed
the Capitol Development Bank, where she served as its treasurer from 1989 to 1990
and its president from 1990 to 1998.
Cynthia Villar’s social and civic concerns are wide and varied.  Thus, in 1992,
she founded and chaired the Villar Foundation (now Villar Social Institute for
Poverty Alleviation and Governance or Villar SIPAG), the programs of which
include providing assistance to OFWs, environment protection and livelihood
projects, which she has established in nearly 1900 locations all over the country. She
served as Managing Director of the foundation until 2012. She is also an Honorary
Member of the Philippine Horticultural Society.
When Manny Villar became Speaker of the House of Representatives in 1998,
she became the chairwoman of the Congressional Spouses Foundation, serving until
2000.
She is the sister of Las Piñas Mayor Vergel Aguilar.
In 2001, Cynthia Villar won in a landslide victory as Representative of Las Piñas
to the Philippine’s House of Representatives, where she completed three terms or
nine years of service until 2010.
When her husband became the Senate President in 2006, she became the
president of the Senate Spouses Foundation, Inc., serving until December 2008.
Plunder charges were filed in 2008 against Villar, then a representative, and her
husband, then-senator Manny Villar. The plunder complaint relates to an alleged
fraudulent deal in 1998 with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas. She and her husband
were cleared of the charges by the Office of the Ombudsman in 2010.
In a senatorial forum on GMA News TV on February 23, 2013, economist Solita
Monsod asked Villar to explain why, as chairman of the House Committee on High
Education, she opposed the move to close nursing schools that the Commission on
Higher Education (CHED) said did not meet minimum requirements to continue
operations.
She explained that she favored the students who wanted to continue their
schooling. CHED, she said, wanted to close the nursing schools because they didn't
have the required tertiary hospitals where the nurses would eventually be trained
before they graduate and get their BS Nursing degrees.
This part of Villar's response became controversial: "Actually, hindi naman
kailangan ng nurse na matapos ang BSN (BS Nursing). Kasi itong mga nurses, gusto
lang nilang maging room nurse, o sa Amerika o sa other countries, ay mag-aalaga
lang sila. Hindi naman kailangan na ganoon sila kagaling. (Nurses don't actually
need to finish BS Nursing. These nurses only want to become a room nurse or
caregivers in America or in other countries. They don't need to be that good.),” Villar
said in response.
Villar apologized on March 4, 2013 to Filipino nurses who were hurt by her
recent statement on the nursing profession.
“Taos-puso po akong humihingi ng paumanhin sa lahat ng mga nurse at kani-
kanilang pamilya na labis na nasaktan sa aking kasagutan sa tanong na ibinato sa
akin sa isang programa sa TV (I sincerely apologize to all the nurses and their
families who were hurt by my response to the question I was asked on TV),” she
posted on her Twitter account.
In 2013, Villar ran as senator under the ticket of his husband's rival in the 2010
presidential elections, President Benigno Aquino IIIand won, finishing in 10th place.
Villar won in 2013 senatorial elections, placing tenth. Senator Villar is the current
chairperson of the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Food as well as the Senate
Committee on Environment and Natural Resources. She worked for the establishment
of 1,955 farm schools all over the country supported by TESDA.
In July 10, 2014, Villar criticized the arrest of senators Bong Revilla, Juan Ponce
Enrile, and Jinggoy Estrada after the three were linked as the masterminds to
the Priority Development Assistance Fund scam or Pork Barrel scandal.
In May 19, 2015, Villar was the richest senator in the Philippines with a 2014 net
worth of P1,983,480,135. In May 17, 2016, Villar's wealth increased by 76%
according to government data.
In August 2016, Villar's son, Mark Villar, was appointed by newly-elected
president Rodrigo Duterte as the public works and highways secretary. In October
2016, Villar backed President Duterte's Philippine Drug War, which has killed at
least 20,000 Filipinos. In November 2016, Villar voted against a resolution which
sought to reject the Duterte-initiated burial of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos in
the Heroes' Cemetery.
In February 2017, Villar voted in favor of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and
Inclusion Act, which increased the inflation rate and cost of goods in the
country. Villar afterwards blamed "traders" for the negative effects of the law that she
supported.On the same month, after President Rodrigo Duterte announced his
intention to withdraw a treaty with the United States, Villar followed suit by not
supporting the resolution requiring Senate concurrence on treaty withdrawals.On
June 14, 2017, Villar urged the government to impose a ban in 'unli-rice'.On
December 13, 2017, Villar was unable to vote for the martial law extension
in Mindanao, but senator Vicente Sotto III noted that she “would have voted yes.”
On March 6, 2018, Villar stated that she has 'no conlfict of interest' in Boracay,
where her company operates. In June 2018, Villar rejected the possibility of same sex
marriage in the Philippines. Also in June 2018, she received an honorary doctor of
laws (honoris causa) from University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) for her
work in agricultural development, poverty alleviation, education, women and
children welfare. In May 16, 2018, a local executive revealed that Villar's property
firm was behind the levelling and destruction of mountains in Boracay. On May 17,
2018, Villar did not support the resolution against the ouster of Chief Justice Maria
Lourdes Sereno via a quo warranto petition. In October, she filed her certificate of
candidacy for re-election in the 2019 senate elections. On July 23, 2018, Villar
announced that she "admired" President Rodrigo Duterte. On November 26, 2018,
Villar supported a "60–40 profit sharing with China."
In January 2019, President Rodrigo Duterte backed Villar's re-election
candidacy.
Amidst all her achievements and awards, she successfully raised three well-
educated children: Paolo is the Chief Executive Officer of their publicly–listed
housing company Vista Land & Lifescapes Inc..; Mark is the Secretary of the
Departments of Public Works and Highways (DPWH); and Camille, is the Executive
Vice President of Starmall and President of All Home. Paolo and Mark are graduates
of the Wharton School of Finance—University of Pennsylvania. Her only daughter,
Camille, finished her Masters in Business Administration at IESE Business School in
Barcelona, Spain. They are all role models of hard work and perseverance—life
values that their parents inculcated in them.
As Congresswoman

Representative of Las Piñas City President of the

Association of Lady Legislators of the House of Representatives
12th, 13th & 14th Congress of the Philippines

Authored and worked for the passage of numerous worthy legislations promoting the
welfare of women, children, and family
RA 9298 – Anti-trafficking in Persons Act of 2003  RA 9262 – Anti-Violence against
Women and their Children Act of 2004 RA 9231 – Elimination of the Worst Forms
of Child Labor & Affording Stronger Protection for the Working Child of 2003
RA 9255 – An Act Providing Legitimate Children may use the Surname of their
father, amending for the Purpose Article 176 of the Family code in 2004 RA 9344    
-    Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act of 2006
RA 9257    -    Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2003
RA 9710    -    Magna Carta of Women
RA 9994    -    Comprehensive Senior Citizens Act (COSCA) of 2009
Authored and lead the passage of 28 bills on higher or technical education, aimed at
improving the quality or accessibility of education nationwide, which include, among
others:
RA 9500 – The University of the Philippines Charter of 2008; and
RA 9647 – Philippine Normal University (PNU) Modernization Act of 2009
Worked for the passage of these other key legislations:
RA 9442 – Granting Other Privileges and Incentives to Persons with Disablity Act of
2007
RA 9451 – An Act establishing the Las Piñas National  Science High School, 2007
RA 9240 – An Act converting the Las Piñas District Hospital into Las PIñas Medical
Center in 2004
RA 9211 – Tabacco Regulation Act of 2003 RA 9177 – Eid’ul Fitr Holiday Act of
2002
RA 9174 – Balikbayan Act of 2002 RA 9178 – Barangay Micro Business Enterprises
(BMBEs) Act of 2002 RA 9175 – Chain Saw Act of 2002

As Senator

Senator of the Republic of the Philippines

Chairperson, Senate Committee on Agriculture and Food
Chairperson, Senate Committee on Government Corporations & Public Enterprises
16th Congress

Among the key achievements of Senator Villar are as follows:

Republic Act No. 10638 - An Act Creating the Philippine National Railways,
Prescribing its Powers, Functions and Duties, and Providing for the Necessary Funds
for its operation

Republic Act No. 10642 - Philippine Lemon Law. An act strengthening consumer
protection in the purchase of brand new motor vehicles

Republic Act No. 10650 - Open Distance Learning Act. An act expanding access to
educational services by institutionalizing open distance learning in levels of tertiary
education and appropriating funds therefor

Republic Act No. 10654 - The Philippine Fisheries Code of 1998. An act to prevent,
deter and eliminate illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, amending Republic
Act No. 8550, otherwise known as “The Philippine Fisheries Code of 1998,” and for
other purposes

Republic Act No. 10655 - An act repealing the crime of premature marriage under
article 351 of Act No. 3815, otherwise known as the Revised Penal Code

Republic Act No. 10659 - Sugarcane Industry Development Act of 2015. An act
promoting and supporting the competitiveness of the sugarcane industry and for other
purposes

Republic Act No. 10679 - Youth Entrepreneurship Act. An act promoting

entrepreneurship and financial education among Filipino youth
Republic Act No. 10687 - Unified Student Financial Assistance System for Tertiary
Education (UniFAST) Act. An act providing for a comprehensive and Unified
Student Financial Assistance System for Tertiary Education (UniFAST), thereby
rationalizing access thereto, appropriating funds therefor and for other purposes

Republic Act No. 10692 - The PAGASA Modernization Act of 2015. An act
providing for the modernization of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and
Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), providing funds therefor and for
other purposes

Republic Act No. 10693 - Microfinance NGOs Act. An act strengthening

Nongovernment Organizations (NGOs) engaged in microfinance operations for the
poor

Republic Act No. 10743 - National Teachers’ Day. An act declaring the fifth day of
October of every year as the National Teachers’ Day

Republic Act No. 10747 - Rare Diseases Act of the Philippines. An act promulgating
a comprehensive policy in addressing the needs of persons with rare disease

Republic Act No. 10816 - Farm Tourism Development Act of 2016. An act
providing for the development and promotion of farm tourism in the Philippines

Republic Act No. 10817 - Philippine Halal Export Development and Promotion Act
of 2016. An act instituting the Philippine Halal Export Development and promotion
program, creating for the purpose the Philippine Halal Export Development and
promotion board, and for other purposes

Republic Act No. 10821 - Children’s Emergency Relief and Protection Act. An act
mandating the provision of emergency relief and protection for children before,
during, and after disasters and other emergency situations

Republic Act No. 10845 - Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Act of 2016. An act

declaring large-scale agricultural smuggling as economic sabotage, prescribing
penalties therefor and for other purposes

Republic Act No. 10848 - An Act Replacing Quantitative Import Restrictions on

Agricultural Products, Except Rice, With Tariffs, Creating the Agricultural
Competitiveness Enhancement Fund, and For Other Purposes

Republic Act No. 10787 - An act establishing multi-species marine hatchery in the
Municipality of Lingig, Province of Surigao del Sur.

Republic Act No. 10813 - An act establishing a multi-species freshwater hatchery in

the Municipality of Jabonga, Province of Agusan del Norte.
Republic Act No. 10825 - An act establishing multi-species marine hatcheries in
Surigao City and the Municipality of Del Carmen in the Province of Surigao del
Norte.

Republic Act No. 10826 - An act establishing a multi-species marine nursery in the
Municipality of Kalamansig, Province of Sultan Kudarat.

Republic Act No. 10856 - An act establishing a multi-species marine hatchery in the
Municipality of Bantayan, Province of Cebu.

Republic Act No. 10857 - An act establishing mangrove crab seed banks, nurseries
and grow-out production farms in the Municipalities of Virac, Bato, Baras, Gigmoto,
Viga, Panganiban, Bagamanoc, San Andres, Caramoran and Pandan, Province of
Catanduanes.

Republic Act No. 10858 - An act establishing a multi-species marine hatchery in

Barangay Ata-Atahon, Municipality of Nasipit, Province of Agusan del Norte.

Republic Act No. 10859 - An act establishing a multi-species marine hatchery in the
Municipality of Jose Dalman, Province of Zamboanga del Norte.

Republic Act No. 10860 - An act establishing a multi-species marine hatchery in the
Municipality of Sultan NagaDdimaporo, Province of Lanao del Norte.

Republic Act No. 10861 - An act establishing a provincial fisheries and aquatic
resources training, development, and product center in each of the Provinces of
Leyte, Southern Leyte, Biliran, Aastern Samar, Samar, and Northern Samar.