Villar recognized for achievement as a home builder

Senate President Manny Villar today received an award in recognition of his unparalleled achievement in the real estate industry, especially in providing shelter to Filipinos of lower income groups.

The Chamber of Real Estates and Builders Associations, Inc. (CREBA), the country’s largest organization of real estate brokers, builders, developers, professionals, suppliers, and other allied professionals and businesses bestowed on Villar its first Lifetime Achievement Award during the gala night and culmination of its 2008 National Convention at the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center in Subic, Zambales.

“This award is precious because it is conferred by distinguished peers and colleagues in the industry who know intimately the roadblocks and pathways along the way,” Villar, also the Nacionalista Party president, said.

“I suppose it was my sense of daring and a clear vision of where I wanted to be that served as my compass. I was driven by sipag, tiyaga at dasal,” he added.

Villar is being awarded to recognize his past and continuing contribution to the real estate industry as a key player in this sector, through his various subdivisions, commercial, condominium, town house, golf course and other developments, and his efforts and initiatives as a public servant, beginning with his stint as Representative of Las Piñas City, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Senator, and now as President of the Senate.

CREBA believes that Villar’s feat has not been equalled yet by anyone from the industry and its effect will be there for many years to come. They hope that the award will be an encouragement to other leading figures of the business.

Villar started venturing into the real estate business in 1975 after availing of a P10,000 loan, which he used to purchase two reconditioned trucks to start up a sand-and-gravel business. It was while delivering construction materials to big developers that Villar came up with the idea of selling house and lot packages.

He eventually became the biggest home builder in Southeast Asia , having built more than 100,000 houses for lower and middle-class Filipino families. His business achievements were featured in international publications such as Far Eastern Economic Review, Asia Week, Forbes, Asia Money and Asian Business Review.

The award was given by CREBA National President, Reghis Romero II, and the members of the Council of Leaders, which is composed of all past CREBA presidents. It was witnessed by convention delegates from different parts of the country as well as heads and other representatives from key shelter agencies, leaders from all the important and influential business organizations and local government officials.

Source:

Senate Press Releases, 25 October 2008

http://www.senate.gov.ph/press_release/2008/1025_villar1.asp

Villar urged to intensify Sipag at Tiyaga (ST) program

ANGELES CITY – Businessmen and residents here are urging Senate President Manny Villar to intensify his livelihood training program in both urban and rural centers nationwide to surmount the global credit crunch precipitated by the US financial meltdown.

“Our banking system remains strong. The only problem is the possible loss of jobs from the global economic contraction that may slow down trade and investments. This makes entrepreneurship, therefore, our best grassroots solution to the problem, and Senator Villar’s ST (Sipag at Tiyaga) Caravan Kaalaman provides the basic strategic requirement for that matter,” said business leader Reghis Romero II.

“Entrepreneurship generates livelihood for the family and ultimately creates jobs as the family enterprise grows. The challenge is how to turn people from being job-dependent into becoming entrepreneurs. Now the answer to that challenge is the ST Caravan,” Romero said.

The ST Caravan is a livelihood training program for those who want to venture into business. It travels all over the country conducting livelihood seminars that are widely attended and appreciated.

“The caravan was inspired by Villar’s own success in conquering poverty through sipag at tiyaga (hard work and determination), which characterized his entrepreneurial journey from being a fish vendor in Tondo at age five to becoming a housing magnate, a big employer, and a highly respected public servant at present,” Romero said.

Philippine Star, 13 October 2008

Camille Villar

Camille Villar

The only thing that differed was the fact that I came from a family involved in sociopolitical issues of the country. At a very young age, you realize how hard life is for people and you just can’t turn your back. -Camille (Star, May 18, 2006)

Transcript of interview with Senate President Manny Villar and OFW Jennifer Calinao

Q: On the repatriation of Jennifer Calinao

Villar: Nais ko lang ikwento na dumaan ako sa Bahrain papuntang Jordan noong sinamahan ko pauwi ang ating mga OFW doon. Ako ay kumain sa isang restaurant at ibinigay sa akin ng may-ari ng restaurant itong mga papel na ito. Sinabi nila na meron daw isang kababayan tayo na nakapulot nito at dinala sa restaurant kaya ibinibigay niya sa kasama ko na ambassador at aking tiningnan. Binasa ko ang istorya ni Jennifer. Siguro, pwedeng ikwento ito ni Jennifer. Jennifer Calinao: Sabi ko po doon sa agency, magpapalit ako ng sponsor. Ang sabi niya po, hindi daw niya ako papalitan ng sponsor. Ide-detain na lang daw po ako ng agency tapos ikinulong po ako ng isang linggo. May nakita po ako na isang Pilipina na dumaan sa building ng agency. Tapos po sabi ko, kabayan tulungan mo naman ako kasi nakakulong ako dito, ayaw akong palabasin ng manager. Araw-araw na po siyang dumadaan doon, inaabangan ko ang kada daan niya kasi malapit lang po ang accommodation nila. Naghuhulog po ako ng sulat doon sa may pinakabutas ng building. Kasi po init na init na po ako doon, walang aircon, walang kahit ano doon. Tapos sabi ng Pilipina…

Q: Ano ang pangalan ng kaibigan mong Pilipina?

Jennifer Calinao: Hindi ko po kilala iyon. Dumadaan lang siya doon. Lagi-lagi na po siyang dumadaan doon, inaabangan ko kada daan niya tapos gumagawa po ako ng letters para ibigay nga po doon sa mga kababayan natin. Talaga pong ayaw akong palabasin doon sa building ng manager ng agency. Tapos sabi niya, sumigaw siya kunwari may kausap siya sa cellphone. Sabi niya, sige ako ang bahala, tutulungan ka namin diyan basta huwag ka lamang mag-aano. Tapos lagi po akong sinasabihan ng manager na kapag nalaman nga daw sa Philippine embassy, papatayin daw po o kaya ipakukulong daw po. Kaya sabi ko doon sa Pilipina, huwag ka munang magsusumbong kasi pagka nangyari iyan, baka mapahamak ako dito. Iyon po. Tapos hindi po ako binibigyan ng pagkain sa loob. Stay daw po ako two years doon hangga’t hindi ako nakakabayad ng 600 BD na ibinigay nila sa agency dito.

Villar: Ako naman, noong dumaan ako sa Bahrain, kumain muna kami ni Ambassador at ni Consul Burgos sa restaurant. Ibinigay po sa akin ito. Ito pala ang mga itinatapon ni Jennifer sa kanyang pinagkakakulungan at ibinigay noong nakapulot, iyong ikinukwento niyang dumadaan everyday. Ngayon binasa ko itong istorya at kara-karakang inutusan ko si Ambassador at si Consul na kailangan ay makuha nila itong si Jennifer at hindi puwedeng hindi makukuha ito. Pinuntahan nila agad. Una muna ay wala, sarado. Iyong pangalawa ay naayos nila. Pinababayaran kasi sa kanya iyong $2,000 tsaka pamasahe. Sinagot ko na lamang iyon para makalaya na siya at para walang problema. Ito ay nakakatuwa rin dahil sa nagkataon lamang na kumain kami sa particular na restaurant na iyon. Kaya ko naman sinasabi ito dahil sa maaaring maraming ganitong halimbawa na nangyayari sa atin pong mga kababayan doon. Itong kay Jennifer ay maaaring isang halimbawa lamang ng maraming mga ganyang kaso na nakakulong. Mabuti si Jennifer ay sumulat dito sa karton at napulot at nagkataong naibigay naman sa ambassador at naibigay sa akin. Kung hindi nangyari iyan ay matagal na makukulong itong si Jennifer. Kaya hindi natin puwedeng tigilan itong pagtulong sa ganitong mga may problema. Bagamat mayroon na tayong mga kasunduan na napipirmahan sa Jordan, dito naman sa Bahrain ay meron ding mga ganitong pangyayari at marami pang mga bansa. Kaya tuloy-tuloy lamang ang ating programa para dito upang itong nangyari kay Jennifer ay hindi mangyayari sa iba nating mga kababayan.

 

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