It is not often that writers are able to visit the homes of celebrities or prominent personalities. This is why this writer deemed it a privilege to have been recently given a chance to visit the Villar home on Carol Masibay Street in BF Resort Village, where she was warmly welcomed by no less than the lady of the house, Rep. Cynthia Aguilar Villar.
Over breakfast and lunch Mrs. Villar, who is an accomplished legislator, businesswoman, homemaker and visionary, shared many facts and memories in their cozy abode. “This is our first home—my favorite home. Everybody [in Las Piñas] knows this house. People come here all the time,” she shared.
Looking much more relaxed, comfortable and sparkly than the last time we were together, which was at a brief get-together during the tension-filled period of last year’s presidential election that physically and emotionally took its toll on her family, Mrs. Villar recounted how her lovely home, which was purchased in 1977, started out as a two-bedroom house that sat atop a 280-sq-m lot fronting a cul-de-sac. Through the years, as the family grew, it also acquired the neighboring lots and now the house has five bedrooms, a guest room, a gym, a living room, a family room, a bar, a memorabilia room, office, as well as entertainment rooms for small and big groups. The property is surrounded by a lush herbal garden with a swimming pool designed by the late landscape artist Rodney Cornejo. The terrace allows a calming view of various flowers and plants as well as bamboo trees through its tall glass-scenic windows. Some of the trees and plants were planted by Mrs. Villar’s husband, Sen. Manny Villar, who, according to his gracious wife, has a certified green thumb.
A look around the living room reveals a ceiling daintily decorated with natural anahaw leaves, which follows Mrs. Villar’s favorite motif—Asian modern with native Filipino surrounded by natural greenery. A big attractive mural by National Artist Vicente Manansala captures a high wall in the main living room, while a painting of Botong Francisco hangs just across it. The rooms are cozy, well-lighted and decorated by interior designer Ivy Almario.
Displayed on top of a long table in the foyer are different statues of the Santo Niño and other saints, most of which were given as gifts to the Villar family through the years. Inside the house are wooden furniture as well as furniture made of materials produced from the livelihood projects of the Villar Foundation, which is proof that Mrs. Villar is more than just a dedicated housewife and congresswoman.
Practical and down-to-earth, Mrs. Villar was born to and raised by a mother who was a teacher from barangay Poblacion in Muntinlupa and a father who was a physician from barangay Zapote in Las Piñas City, who later became municipal health officer of Muntinlupa for 10 years as well as mayor of Las Piñas for 22 years. Following in her father’s footsteps, Mrs. Villar has served as congresswoman of the lone district of Las Piñas City since 2001. She was the president of the Congressional Spouses Foundation Inc. from 1998 to 2000; president of the Lady Legislators of the 12th, 13th and 14th Congress and also president of the Senate Spouses Foundation Inc. from 2006 to 2008.
The humble and soft-spoken congresswoman graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration at the University of the Philippines in 1970 and earned an MBA from New York University in 1972. She and the senator were married in 1975 and together they have raised three children: Manuel Paolo, Congressman Mark and Camille Lydia.
In the realm of business, Mrs. Villar has shown plenty of savvy. Aside from being the biggest home-builder in the country which owns the majority of Brittany, Crown Asia, Camella and Vista Residences. This business sense, however, is tempered with a social responsibility that is also the guiding principle of the Villar Foundation, a nonstock, nonprofit organization established in 1995 by the family. Since its inception, the foundation has initiated, implemented and supported various projects aimed at improving the quality of life of the people in the Las Piñas community.
Speaking with plenty of sense and heartfelt sincerity that are unfortunately lacking in many of our current politicos, Mrs. Villar explained that creating a caring, wholesome and environmentally responsible community is important, which is why one of the foundation’s earliest programs was “Pagtatanim para sa Kinabukasan,” a tree-planting program, to create urban forests in open spaces of subdivisions, residential communities and schools.
Over the years, its advocacies and beneficiaries have expanded and diversified in order to reach more people and sectors of the society. These include the poor and the underprivileged, overseas Filipino workers and their families, the youth, women, the Church and the environment, among others.
Because of its efforts to protect water resources in the country, and at the same time, provide livelihood to hundreds of needy Filipinos, the Villar Foundation has put the Philippines in the international spotlight recently when it bagged the prestigious United Nations’ “Best Practices Award.” The foundation’s Sagip Ilog program bested 38 other countries for the award, as it met the criteria of substantially contributing to the improvement of the living environment on a sustainable basis, especially to the living conditions of the poorest and most disadvantaged groups; institutional frameworks and the sustainable management of water.
The husband-and-wife team personally received the coveted award in Zaragosa, Spain, during a special ceremony on World Water Day, which focused on the topic “Urban Water Management,” the primary thrust of the Sagip Ilog program. They were awarded for the category Best Water Management Practices.
“The Sagip-Ilog program is aimed at cleaning up the 25.1-km Las Piñas-Zapote River and addressing the worsening flood problem, which had been attributed to accumulated garbage as well as proliferation of water hyacinths [commonly known as water lily] that clogged waterways. Over the years, it has evolved into various comprehensive green social enterprises such as the water hyacinth weaving, handloom blanket weaving and the coconut coir and peat enterprise. These green social enterprises encompass environment protection, waste management, livelihood opportunities, and even cultural promotion through the resulting products such as handicrafts from water lilies and lanterns from bamboo,” Mrs. Villar said.
Ultimately for Mrs. Villar, she envisions a healthy, peaceful, decent and productive life not only for residents of Las Piñas but for all Filipinos. And that vision must start from everyone’s own home.
IN PHOTO -- VISIONARY Rep. Cynthia A. Villar shows the items made from recycled water lilies collected from the Las Piñas-Zapote River. --PHOTOS BY NONIE REYES
No comments:
Post a Comment