Events: Villars in Four Pro-People Advocacies
Former Congresswoman Cynthia Villar, wife of Senator Manny Villar, who is slated to carry the political torch in the Senate along with several other members of their political party, the Nacionalists Party (LP), has cited four key advocacies which she is at present carrying out though not yet a public official but will intensify when she makes it in the upper chamber in the May 2013 elections, next year.
Journalists interviewed Villar who was the major guest speaker during the 58th anniversary of the Church of the Seventh-Day Adventists, the Central Philippines Adventists College (CPAC) located in the countrysides of the resort town of Murcia.
Diminutive Mrs. Villar, cited four key advocacies that she is at present involved in and her husband as well as practically all members of the family. Senator Manny Villar, an Ilonggo, grew up poverty-stricken but lifted himself up from the bootstraps to rise from his abject situation to become senator and through his hard work, managed to improve greatly his status in life.
Among the four major advocacies the whole family has decided to get thoroughly immersed in through the Villar Foundation assistance to Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW), the environment livelihood, education and a host of minor advocacies.
It is, however, in the OFWs’ concerns where the Villars have made their impact, livelihood, education and women.
Proof of their sincerity in these advocacies is the fact that monthly, hundreds of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) are being assisted by the foundation who may be dead, stranded abroad and gyped or maltreated by employers and abused as well.
Just a few months ago, the Villars facilitated the return of the remains of a deceased Filipina who hails from La Castellana town, who died when a building collapsed in Lebanon.
Cynthia Villar was one of the Distinguished Alumni of the University of the Philippines (UP), graduated in the degree of Master in Business Administration in New York University officially of the congressional 12th, 13th and 14th Congress, was chairperson of the Higher and Technical Education of the House of Representatives from 2004 to 2010, and Chairperson of Congressional Spouses Foundation from 1998 to 2000.
She also serves as the President of the Senate Spouses Foundation from 2006 to 2008. At present, Mrs. Villar is managing director of the Villar Foundation.
She advises families of OFWs that they would receive assistance from the Villar Foundation, once they write formal letters to the foundation.
The count of those provided assistance and support by the foundation is now endless and such assistance is given wholeheartedly with them asking for nothing in return, but to be open to helping other Filipinos.
Mrs. Villar lamented the fact that the government has provided little support to State Colleges and Universities (SUCs) and in fact has withheld subsidies it needs. She advocates providing full support to SUCs.
She advocates wage and salaries increases for workers although a little less than what organized labor is asking for, because business establishments may not be able to afford it.
She is in favor of resolving the Scarborough conflict fully through diplomacy because, the nation does not have the power to go to war against a big country as China.
He believes that fifth district provincial board member Dino Yulo will put up a good fight against UNA candidate, Binalbagan Mayor Alejandro Mirasol.
They will also provide support and assistance to Yulo who may outsmart and outfight Mirasol.
At this point in time, Mrs. Villar does not know whether the Nacionalista Party (LP) she belongs to and the Liberal Party (LP), with titular head, President Benigno Aquino III will forge a formal coalition. It is only the top leadership who can and will determine this, he added.*
