PDCP#3: Impressions of Manny Villar

Posted on | April 10, 2010 | No Comments

I joined PDCP in January of 1975. I was a small town hick from Navotas who usually got lost on my way back and forth to Makati in my first month. Manny Villar was already there at that time and we got friendly right away. Maybe because we both came from Balut, Manila, which adjoins Navotas. We were both involved in fish-trading, we spoke the same language and we shared similar attitudes and values of hard work. I remember we took it for granted that we would spend extra hours in the fish business after PDCP office hours. I think Manny was still helping out Nanay Curing in her fish delivery business to hotels and restaurants at that time.

The friendship developed to involve our families. I would bring my wife and kids to parties at Las Piñas even before Cynthia and Manny gave me a couple of lots at very easy terms at Pilar Village. He would eventually build me and my brother houses on these lots.

I remember Manny as a very energetic, clear-headed, practical and insightful thinker. He didn’t really have a vision at the time we met. He just had a deep, driving need to succeed, to make full use of his talents. I do not remember him being bitter at the poverty that he and his family had gone through. We both came from the same circumstances and we assumed that people simply improved themselves as much as they could.

After PDCP and some ventures Manny and I got into together, we saw each other only about once a year or when he decided to throw an alumni party for PDCP friends (we ex- employees regarded PDCP with fondness as an alma mater from the education, growth and moral training that we acquired there). These events were always very pleasant and we would catch up on each other. The brotherly affection was always there.

Many more years were to pass when one day I met Manny walking along Ayala Avenue. He immediately told me that one of my sons, who had emulated him and gone into real estate, had been set up to take the rap for a senior officer’s wrongdoing. He was worried and promised to get my son out of trouble. In fact, I was on my way to the Justice Hall of Makati to attend to the legal issues that were being levied against my son. As it turned out, the charges against my son were dropped by the prosecutor and the senior officer who had tried to frame my son did not pursue the case. I like to believe that Manny had indeed done what he said he would, talk sense with those “big” people and that’s why they backed off.

This was something very important to me. It was my son’s future that he had looked after. I was also a bit embarrassed with myself. I did not even remember the names of Manny’s children at that time and yet he remembered my son’s name, he took an interest in my son’s welfare and he took action to help my son. How many friends keep track of your children’s careers?

There are friends. And then again there are FRIENDS. Manny is a FRIEND. There are many issues about him in this presidential campaign. But I am sure of one thing: the Manny Villar I knew when we were young is still the Manny Villar wanting to be president with the same value system that we shared: Honesty, Integrity, Hard Work, Perseverance, Fairness. Not only because he is my FRIEND, not only for what he did for my son, but for what he can do for this country and for the grandchildren I hope to have. This is a very personal matter and this is why I and my children have put together our resources in support of Manny’s presidential campaign.

Romeo K. Macapagal

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