Jul 18, 2009
Up Close With Sen. Manny Villar
photo from aboutmyrecovery.com
It’s a privilege to be invited, together with another 5 bloggers, to have round table discussion with Sen. Manny Villar at Bo’s Coffee, Boni High Street.
This is the 3rd time I was invited to meet with a Presidentiable. First with Sen. Mar Roxas, 2nd with MMDA Chair Bayani Fernando, but I begged off because of conflict in schedule, and this meet up with Sen. Manny Villar.
When invited then by the group of Mr. Palengke, I’m a bit hesitant because I am not into political blogging, but heck, I will vote for a new President on 2010 and It’s only proper to get to know them up-close , to make an intelligent choice
With the 3 hour meeting, the blogger’s took time to ask questions and know MV, the man, his principles and what he can offer to the republic.
Please allow me to just share my impressions on matters close to my advocacy. However, you can watch the recorded live stream here . To read the perspective of the other bloggers please go to the site’s of Ganns, Chuvaness , Kaboom , Jonas and Noimi
Sen. Villar is the first to declare his intention to run for the highest post in the land, and the first to place ads in traditional media. Admittedly, I was kinda turned off by this because it’s way too early to campaign. But after a while, I find it more irritating to have politicians dilly dally on their intention on 2010, but their action speaks otherwise.
When asked why he refused to recognize the authority of the senate ethics committee, he explained would be presidentiables and their supporters are the one’s behind this and it will only become a venue for grandstanding, thus, he cannot expect fairness. Be the judge…
When asked of the way too early ads, he explained that he is up to presidentiables that are more popular with the masses. He finds a need to introduce himself to them, thus, the series of ads that will identify with ordinary Filipinos. In my opinion, convincing the masses that he once was in their situation and he can help them out is a good marketing strategy. The math of alienating few intellectuals but gain the support of the masses is quite obvious.
I asked him about his stand on Reproductive Health, he did not give a categorical answer, his affiliation though with the Catholic Church’s Couples for Christ is already an indication. My take on the matter is for the next President to have the political will to manage the population. Otherwise, problems on food self sufficiency and security, housing, employment and education will not be resolved. Family planning is a personal choice and couples should be given access to “all” options. Abortion is killing life. Life begins when the sperm and egg meets, preventing it’s union is not abortion.
On Cha cha, he believed there is a need to change the economic provisions, but this is not his priority.
I asked him also about his stand on the move by the lower house (sponsored by party list reps) to amend the labor code that are deemed anti-labor. MV believed the priority should be job creation and correct the mismatch between jobs and applicants.
What caught my attention is his advocacy on entrepreneurship. I agree with him that the Philippines is more of an employee producing nation. Filipinos go thru the hassle of finishing college with the objective of landing a good job, and/or work abroad. While this is not necessarily bad, we become more dependent to foreign investors. Thus, Filipinos are prone to abuses. A left leaning labor code can protect employees from abuses, but in my opinion, a proactive approach is to develop SME’s. MV believed we need new heroes on entrepreneurship. If elected, he plans to introduce a culture that will strengthen our SME’s.
This meet-up helped me understand MV not as a politician, but as a person. His children was with him at that time. Indeed he speaks from experience when he talks about the hardships of being poor and his struggle to get out of poverty. If he succeeded in winning the heart of the masses, I think he will have the edge. On the same note, campaign gurus of Sen. Mar Roxas are employing the same strategy, thus, the “padyak” ads. Kabayan and Erap are by default, close to the masses heart.
While I have not heard concrete action plan yet, you can see the vision and direction under his leadership. If elected, he needs people who will translate his vision into action, concrete steps that will define the equation. However, If elected, as one of the blogger’s in attendance said, I hope communication with bloggers will not end.
Disclosure:
I have not decided yet on who to vote on 2010, but I already have my shortlist. Likewise, I am not working or affiliated with any political groups. This post should not be construed as an endorsement, rather in the spirit of social responsibility, I am sharing with Filipino readers what our would be Presidents has to offer. MV is a serious contender, he puts his money where his mouth is. A man with such a burning passion to be a leader, gets my attention.
[...] Sonny [...]
I don’t like MV – because of what i see, hear, and read on TV, radio and dailies.
I don’t like how he handled the senate inquiry regarding the C5 bruhaha. For me, it was like he will not follow the rules and that its ok for a senator not to attend inquiries or investigations.
I don’t like him because of his early campaign. He’s pushing himself to people.
How can MV convince someone like me to vote for him? And how many people have the same thoughts like me towards him?
Well, I suggest he should first let the public know more of what he has done rather than what he wants to do. My perception is that the only thing he has done during his term is to get rich.
Then, a more wholistic plan for the country would be better rather than focusing on housing and business. Another approach would be to provide a plan for luzon, visayas, and mindanao.
[...] other bloggers’ advocacies in their interviews: Chuvaness weighs in, as does Jude Turcuato, Sonnie Santos, and Jonas Diego. Did you enjoy this blog post? Please read about green roofs. Share and [...]
Wow. Now that is LUCKY.
I don’t know. I’m very undecided. Somehow I feel that Manny could be like the Philippines’ Bloomberg. His number one asset for me is his wealth – he can afford to campaign. Problem is, those who can’t afford campaigning need to borrow from others which is where I.O.U.s and corruption stem from
[...] Santos [dot] PH [...]
Hi, Sonnie,
That must be a very productive and enlightening meeting with Manny Villar. The closest I got to him was a few feet at the Treehouse resto in the UP campus.
The man just like the rest of us is not devoid of any imperfection however, I submit he makes things work, he makes people move and he can lead an organization even as huge as a national government.
It’s like running a conglomerate which he is competent in. I know. I come from corporate and now in the grassroots mobilizing people to build their own microenterprises via various intervening business development strategies.
The guy makes good sense, in my perspective. Entrepreneurship is the way to go for this country…not employment as what we parentally raised to be! He is not a bad guy. He is just like the rest of us except that he does things different from us. He simply produces results. He is a good leader with a good heart.
Bless him…and you too, Sonnie!
Dios lo bendice!
I don’t see anyone else better packaged and better qualified. All else being equal (dirt and roses combined), we end this election process by choosing THAT one who we can believe in. We are not electing a saint, we are electing OUR HOPE…
@MiGs
So, kung ano na lang ang nakkikita at naririnig mo sa tv, yun na lang ang paniniwalaan mo? As a voter and good citizen, dapat mag research ka sa lahat ng candidates.
honestly, I, myself, is not yet hooked on one candidate pa. but, I MV is my top presidentiable as of now.
i think it is not the rules of the senate that he should be present at the hearings. Kasi kung rules yun dapat inaresto na siya. Para sa akin, tingin ko, may choice siya to attend or not to attend. Bale, there were no rules broken.
You dont like his early campaigning, so i guess, to be fair, dapat hindi mo rin like si Mar Roxas, Bayani, Gibo, Noli, and others.
As far as I know, before he became a speaker of the house, isa na siya sa pinakamayaman sa congress. Also, yumaman siya because nag IPO yung Vistaland (company niya). Which is apolitical.
Please do your research
Peace
I am not eligible to vote in the Philippines elections, but if I were, Manny Villar would likely be my choice. The Philippines has a long history of corruption, and for whatever reason, the Filipino voters have accepted that as a way of life. This is most unfortunate, because taxes could be reduced by about 1/3 and services could be increased by 25-50% if not for all the corruption.
Adding to this is the difficulty in setting up any kind of a business in the country, due to all the myriad levels of red tape and countless registrations required with all levels of government and all manner of departments. In the United States, one can set-up a corporation, bank account, permits, etc. in about 72 hours in most jurisdictions. Here, it can take 30 to 90 days or even longer.
None of these issues will be solved overnight, but I do believe that the best way to begin to reverse the tide of corruption is to elect someone who is incorruptible. What makes one incorruptible?
First, values. Second, lack of motivation to trade your values for money. Third, a dedication to serve the country over self.
The one advantage that I see belonging to Mr. Villar is the fact that he doesn’t need to go into politics in order to make money. He already has more money than any other politician (at least from legal sources). He is less likely to be swayed by graft, bribes, and other non-cash incentives.
Add to this is his success in his business career, and you have someone who possesses integrity and business acumen. What a great combination for a potential leader of this country!
On the economic front, the Philippines must make doing business easier and more transparent, while eliminating corruption. I believe that nothing will be lost by allowing 100% ownership of most types of businesses by foreigners, but I do not see a reason to allow land ownership by foreigners, especially on a large scale. That would be a mistake.
As for the C5 debacle, I think all of that is just political noise. Mr. Villar may have potentially benefited from the expansion, but so did a large number of his constituents. I don’t think that the project should have been scrapped just because he might have some economic benefit. I truly do not believe that motivated anything he did with regard to the project. As for the 200M pesos that was supposedly double-booked; that is an accounting issue. I don’t think any money was lost or overspent.
I hope everyone in the country will take a good hard look and vote wisely, and I hope that those running the precincts at the local levels will take their jobs seriously to ensure proper and just elections.
Please vote wisely, because I live here too. Thank you.
Well, I guess you’re lucky enough to meet big personalities such as MV. Anyway, I don’t know yet whom to choose next year but I have read articles about him even before he became senator. I learned that he is really a good businessman as his projection about real estate came true, and I think his strategies can be applicable if he becomes the president.
I think entrepreneurship is one factor that most Filipinos are not putting attention as we grow up as laborers and employees. However, having MV as a president does not necessarily mean our economy will grow.
I truly believe that the growth of a nation does not depend on one person only, and all of us must act as one helping each other.
Thanks!
ang masabi ko maging mapagmatyag tayo… matagal na naghihirap aNG bansang Pilipinas… bawat bumababang presedente lage meron utang naiiwan at sino kaya ang presendente ng Pilipinas hindi inuuna ang pansariling interest… sana meron presendente ng Pilipinas na magpapaunlad ng buhay ng bawat isang PIlipino pero kahit malabo mangyari… I’m still wishing…
gusto ko si manny villar maging pangulo ng ating bansa .
hi, i agree to you all but for migs, i think al is right. lets do some research. i for one does not rely on hearsays, i do validate. as for the case of sen.mv specifically the c5 issue, i think it was just one of the strategies of his opponents to ruin him. im not saying he is a clean politician (for me, once you are into politics, think of it as dirty in all aspects) but to compare with other candidates sen.mv would really fit as the best president for our dear country. i cud see his leadership and true concern for the nation (i like he’s being into “entrepreneurship” – i could see future here especially for my son. at a young age of 8, my husband and i inculcate in him life of a businessman vs. an employee). the early campaign for me too, sir sonny is really a turn-off but made some realizations as my husband and i discussed the “would-be best presidents” for us and yes im saying sen.mv is in our toplist. God bless us all!
power to you sir sonny! – i always look forward to see your daily post but sonnie’s porch is already in our blocked sites (too bad)but this one i’m still luck to access it -http://santos.ph/2009/07/18/up-close-with-sen-manny-villar/. i have no internet at home since my pc is not working & no time to check it outside as well..your blogs are really informative .keep this up! c”,)
Gusto ko kay MV yung calm nya despite the many unpleasant news coming out about him……
sa nakikita ko sa iyo pwdeng pwede kayong maging President ng Pilipinas dahil dama nyo ang kalagayan ng mga mababang katulad namin lalo na sa mga ofw na kagaya ko.Gusto ko sanang bumoto dyn sa pinas kaya lang baka dn ko regestrado dyn at baka masayang lang boto ko kaya dito na lang ako buboto sa riyadh ksa.Good luck
@migs: you better not busy yourself by watching the tv alone. Brush up on your info by research, you can browse through the net and gather infos.If you get old and mature enough you dont need infomercials to help you choose your candidate, there is a thing called broadsheets to help you on that. Even before MV got into politics he was already rich, it is his passion to help the people through his experiences; that’s why he went into politics. He was House speaker, Senate president and that speaks of his integrity. About the wholistic thing…businesses are the life source of a country. Housing? really? of cousre! everyone has the right to live a decent life and roofs over their heads, it is one of the basic needs. Growing in age doesnt mean you grow as a person, maturity doesnt come with age, you get wiser in life through trials and maybe when you start to earn for yourself you’ll know what i mean.
This coming election should be based on merits of a candidate, his achievements, his personal goals. I hope and pray that the people choose wisely and not go with name recall alone. A president should be a man of his own. Thats jjust my opinion. PEace and more power
mr president,i hope you will include on your flatform the following,#1 live lihood for all filipinos on there backyard and small farm.#2 free training and study and no pay to all filipinos who wanted to work abroad.#3all kinds of gasoline products must be equal in prices any part of the philippine country.#4free education from kinder to highschool,meaning no more pay or exchage of money of anything, to eraze form of corruption that started from the school system.on this you can have the votes of the masses,ofws,drivers and operators,mother and fatherand i will helpyouwin
[...] in Facebook. Then he sent a private message and said he is confused because after the photo with Villar, I published a photo with Mar Roxas, then with Chiz Escudero, then with Bro. Eddie Villanueva, then [...]
[...] and Villar in Facebook. But he sent a message and said he is confused because after the photo with Villar, I published a photo with Mar Roxas , Chiz Escudero, Bro. Eddie Villanueva, then with Gibo [...]
So how did he get his lucky break? It seems Manny Villar grew from a Tondo-ragged accountant to billion-rich senator by allowing himself to be used as an American investor’s dummy in the Philippine real estate business. You see, the conduct of real estate business in the Philippines is limited by law exclusively to Filipino citizens, necessarily because it involves business affairs affecting matters of territory, patrimony, and national security. The debonair American who used to be smilingly visible every day at the offices of Crown Asia, Inc. may no longer be that visible at the 14th Floor of Cityland Herrera Tower. When Manny Villar embarked on a political career, it became imperative to avoid flaks of controversy, especially from Senator Teofisto Guingona’s camp that was instrumental in passing the general law limiting the conduct of real estate business in the Philippines only to Filipinos.