Just one wife, simple life, says Villar in broadsides at 2010 rivals

January 14, 2010 14:48:00
Maila Ager
INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines—On the warpath these past days with his rivals for the presidency, Senator Manny Villar came out subtle on Thursday as he told a presidential forum why having only one wife and living simply are of essence to the choice for the country’s next President.

At the same time, the Nacionalista Party’s presidential aspirant vowed not to appoint any relatives in the bureaucracy should he win in this election in May.

“Number one, let me say that I will not be appointing any relative of mine in the government,” Villar said at a presidential forum in Makati City, in response to a question by former president Fidel Ramos.

“Number two, Sir, I am known as Mr. Sipag at Tiyaga. I realize that aside from being a multi-tasker, you have to work 24/7. That is why I am working 26/7,” he said.

And getting personal, Villar said he only has one wife and they have been together for 40 years now.

Listed as one of the richest men in the country, the senator also promised to live a simple life.




“On simple living, kapag tiningnan n’yo po ang aking pamilya, simpleng-simple lang. ‘Yong aking misis, isa lang. (When you look at our family, we are very simple. I only have one wife). We were classmates. We've been together for about 40 years,” he said.

“Kung magiging pangulo, napakahalaga na maging halimbawa siya sa bagay na ito (If you’re going to become a President, it is important that he or she becomes a good example in this regard),” Villar said.

Most importantly, Villar said the next President must be able to manage the country from Day One as he would be confronting “problems, tremendous amounts of problems, when he becomes president.”

“There is no time for OJT or on-the-job training. There is no time for consultants,” he said, “He must hit the ground running, multitask and manage Day One.”

“Napakatagal naghihintay ang ating mga kababayan sa pagkakataong makaahon. Ito na lamang ang kanilang pagkakataon, hindi natin sila dapat biguin (Our countrymen has been waiting for long to get out of poverty, we should not fail them).”