Manuel “Manny” Bamba Villar Jr. (born December 13, 1949) is a Filipino billionaire businessman. He has been a Philippine Senator and the president of the Nacionalista Party.
Villar was born to a poor family in Tondo, an impoverished and densely populated district of Manila. After graduating from the University of the Philippines, he worked as an accountant and financial analyst, then launched a highly successful business in real estate. Villar’s companies have built over 200,000 homes, and his business career made him one of the country’s wealthiest persons.
Villar entered politics in 1992 when he was elected Congressman representing the district of Las Piñas-Muntinlupa, and later became Speaker of the House of Representatives. As Speaker, he presided over the impeachment of President Joseph Estrada by the House of Representatives in 2000. In 2001 he was elected Senator, and served as Senate President from 2006 to 2008. He was the candidate of the Nacionalista Party in the 2010 presidential election, which was won by Benigno Aquino III.
Early life and education
Manuel Bamba Villar Jr. was born on December 13, 1949 in Tondo, an impoverished and densely populated district of Manila. He was the second-born of the nine children of his parents in a poor family. His father, Manuel “Maning” Montalban Villar, Sr., was a government employee from Cabatuan, Iloilo who worked as an inspector for the Bureau of Fisheries. His mother, Curita “Curing” Bamba, was a seafood vendor from a poor family in Orani, Bataan. The family lived in a small rented apartment in a run down slum area. Villar’s father was eventually granted a year-long scholarship for higher education in the United States, which led to a job promotion to a director position in the Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources upon his return. Due to cramped conditions in Tondo, Villar’s father obtained a P16,000 loan from the Government Service Insurance System, payable in 20 to 25 years, to build a home in San Rafael Village, Navotas.
As a child, Villar initially attended Isabelo delos Reyes Elementary School, a nearby public school in Tondo. He also assisted his mother in selling shrimp and fish at the Divisoria Public Market, as early as age six, in order to help earn the money to support his siblings and himself to school. However, accompanying his mother interfered with his education and he was forced to drop out from school during Grade 1. He was then enrolled at Tondo Parochial School (later renamed Holy Child Catholic School), a private school in Tondo run by priests, to complete his elementary education.
Villar finished his high school education at the Mapúa Institute of Technology in Intramuros. He attended the University of the Philippines – Diliman and earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration in 1970. He returned to the same school to earn his master’s degree in business administration in 1973. He later characterized himself as being impatient with formal schooling, and eager to start working and go into business.
Summary
| Manny Villar | |
|---|---|
| 25th President of the Senate of the Philippines | |
| In office July 24, 2006 – November 17, 2008 |
|
| President | Gloria Macapagal Arroyo |
| Preceded by | Franklin Drilon |
| Succeeded by | Juan Ponce Enrile |
| Senator of the Philippines | |
| In office June 30, 2001 – June 30, 2013 |
|
| 20th President pro tempore of the Senate of the Philippines | |
| In office July 23, 2001 – August 12, 2002 |
|
| President | Gloria Macapagal Arroyo |
| Preceded by | Blas Ople |
| Succeeded by | Juan Flavier |
| 18th Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Philippines | |
| In office July 27, 1998 – November 13, 2000 |
|
| President | Joseph Estrada |
| Preceded by | Jose de Venecia Jr. |
| Succeeded by | Arnulfo Fuentebella |
| Member of the Philippine House of Representatives from Las Piñas’ Lone District | |
| In office June 30, 1992 – June 30, 2001 |
|
| Preceded by | Filemon Aguilar |
| Succeeded by | Cynthia Villar |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Manuel Bamba Villar Jr. December 13, 1949 Tondo, Manila, Philippines |
| Nationality | Filipino |
| Political party | Nacionalista (2003-present) |
| Other political affiliations |
Independent (2000-2003) LAMMP (1998-2000) Lakas-NUCD (1992-1998, 2010-2013) Liberal Party (2013-present) |
| Spouse(s) | Cynthia Aguilar Villar |
| Children | Manuel Paolo Villar III Mark Villar Camille Linda Villar |
| Residence | Las Piñas, Metro Manila |
| Alma mater | University of the Philippines |
| Profession | Businessperson |
| Religion | Catholic |
| Website | www.mannyvillar.com.ph |
Manuel Villar Net Worth: Manuel Villar is a Filipino businessman and politician who has a net worth of $1.05 billion. A former Philippine Senator and the incumbent president of the Nacionalista Party, he is also active in the private sector through the publicly-listed real estate companies Vista Land & Lifescapes and Polar Property Holdings. Born Manuel Bamba Villar, Jr. on December 13, 1949 in Tondo, a poor and densely populated district of Manila, he made an incredible turn from rugs into riches. Once he graduated from the University of the Philippines, he started to work as an accountant and financial analyst before launching a highly successful business in real estate. Today, the number of homes built by Villar’s companies has reached more than 200,000 units, making him one of the country’s wealthiest people. He entered politics in 1992 when he got elected Congressman the district of Las Piñas-Muntinlupa. Later on, Villar became Speaker of the House of Representatives and then he was elected Senator in 2001, as well as served as Senate President from 2006 to 2008. Manuel Villar decided to withdraw from politics in 2010 when he lost the presidential bid to Benigno Aquino III. Since, he concentrated solely on his business, making two of his children actively involved in the daily operations, while one, his younger son Mark, opted to be a congressman.
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