DECODING SEN. CYNTHIA VILLAR: ‘No questions will go unanswered’

Over a recent lunch with editors from the DAILY TRIBUNE, Senator Cynthia Villar sat down with a smile, surrounded by Filipino favorites: lumpia, barbecue and mango sago. She chose these dishes, avoiding rice and pancit for health reasons.

“I love vegetables,” she said, laughing. “This is what I enjoy — simple food.” To those who know her, this straightforward attitude extends to her public and private life, where practicality and focus are key themes.

Villar’s career has been defined by public service, business and a strong commitment to agriculture. From her stints in the House of Representatives to her current position in the Senate, she has consistently advocated for farmers, environmental protection and sustainable development.

Born into a family with a clear sense of purpose, she earned a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the University of the Philippines and a Master’s in Business Administration from New York University.

Before entering politics, she worked as a financial analyst and college professor while supporting her husband, former Senate President Manny Villar, in their entrepreneurial ventures. Together, they built Vista Land into one of the Philippines’ largest homebuilders, with Cynthia managing a private development bank from 1989 to 1998.

In 2001, Villar entered politics, serving as the representative of Las Piñas for three terms. She was recognized for her work in the Committee on Higher and Technical Education and her advocacy for women’s and children’s welfare. During her time in Congress, she also set up the Villar Foundation, which focuses on supporting overseas Filipino workers and agricultural programs.

Villar’s political career took a significant turn in 2013 when she was elected senator. In 2019, she was reelected with a record 25.28 million votes. As chair of the Senate Committees on Agriculture and Food and Environment and Natural Resources, she has pushed for initiatives such as the establishment of over 2,300 farm schools nationwide.

Her advocacy for agriculture remains central to her work. Villar emphasized her farm’s role as both a business and an educational space for tillers. “We have coconut intercropping with cacao, dairy, aquaculture, rice and vegetables. Do you know what pays our workers? It’s the income from the vegetables,” she explained.

She also pointed to her legislative efforts on behalf of farmers. “Most of my time in the Senate has been for them,” she said. “I visit them personally. It’s not just about high-profile events — I go to them.”

Her work on behalf of farmers and the environment has earned her an honorary doctorate in Agriculture from the University of the Philippines Los Baños. Reflecting on her legacy, she said, “Mark (her son) will be remembered for his work in Public Works; I will be remembered for the farmers and fishermen.”

Senator Villar’s approach to addressing agricultural challenges is clearly pragmatic.

“The reason we’re not progressing in agriculture is that we’re not mechanized. The seeds are of low quality,” she explained. She added that she also advocates for small-scale irrigation solutions like water impoundments, which work better in areas with inconsistent electricity.

Villar attributed much of her work ethic to her upbringing, recalling a grandmother who supported four children by being a sidewalk vendor. “I studied how she managed it. She did both — the production and the selling,” she said. “I also studied farmers. Why are they poor? Because of the middlemen.”

Despite her political stature, Villar has maintained a down-to-earth approach. Executive Editor Chito Lozada noted her ability to balance her political career with her family life. However, her dual role as a legislator and businesswoman has raised concerns. Editor-at-Large John Henry Dodson pointed to her family’s real estate empire and questioned whether it does not create conflicts of interest.

Villar responded by emphasizing the importance of her business experience in understanding economic and agricultural issues, pointing out that all of their land purchases had been above-board, contrary to the allegations of their critics.

She maintained her family is not engaged in land conversion, or the acquisition of farm lands on which to build communities like subdivisions and condominium units or commercial structures like malls. She stressed that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. even thanked them for donating land for use by the railway line now extending to the province of Cavite.

Sustainable Development Goals Editor Windsor Genova described Villar’s approach as “logical and practical,” particularly regarding how she addressed the issue of political dynasties. She argues that the focus should be on whether a political dynasty is “good” or “bad,” asserting that wealthy individuals in power are less likely to steal from the public purse.

Online Editor Nick Price raised concerns that her agricultural initiatives could be seen as attempts to mitigate the environmental impact of her family’s business activities. Despite this, he acknowledged her focus on practical solutions.

Cynthia Villar’s career reflects a focused and pragmatic approach to the challenges facing her country, especially in agriculture and sustainable development. Whether discussing her legislative work, her farm initiatives, or her political legacy, she remains a figure whose impact is grounded in a blend of personal experience and professional dedication.

Managing Editor Dinah S. Ventura, in a recent column, did a “character study” of the enigma that is Senator Cynthia Villar, who has figured in not a few viral controversial videos which she dismissed in the talk with DAILY TRIBUNE editors as the handiwork of her detractors — events that had been taken out of context.

Wrote Ms. Ventura: “For all that has been said and written about her, Senator Villar gives off an air of nonchalance — or perhaps the better term would be ‘too busy to care.’ Her mind, once she is engaged in conversation, just flows with information. Ask me, she says. She will always answer.”