Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar, who served the department for 5 years, bade his co-workers goodbye and thanked them for the friendship and accepting him and leadership. He filed his certificate of candidacy this morning at the Comelec field office at Sofitel Hotel.
PUBLIC Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar bade goodbye to his co-workers in government last Monday saying it was his “last flag ceremony, as effective Wednesday (today) I have resigned.”
He did not explain the reason but most everyone knows it is because he was included in the administration’s senatorial line-up for 2022.
Family’s lineage
It looks like his ready acceptance of the draft as a senatorial candidate is more in keeping with the family’s lineage in the Upper Chamber.
First it was senator turned Senate President Manuel Bamba Villar (his dad in 2001 to 2013 and served as Senate President in 2006-2008) and his mother, Cynthia Aguilar Villar , who became a senator in 2013 before garnering most votes in her bid for a second term in 2016.
In short, Mark is following their footsteps and would like to fill the vacant seat and office of his parents.
Villar, 43, is the third member of his family to seek a Senate seat.
The Villar family owns a group of real estate and commercial companies, with over $7 billion net worth.
His father was listed in Forbes top billionaires of 2021, along with 16 other Filipino billionaires.
Candidacy
Mark filed his certificate of candidacy as guest senator in the faction of PDP-Laban Cusi faction at the Sofitel Hotel with his Emmeline in tow.
The Commission on Election has yet to decide whether the Cusi faction or the wing led by Sen. Manny Pacquiao is the legitimate representative of the political party.
President’s men
PDP-Laban president and Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi earlier said Villar is one of several members of President Duterte's Cabinet who will run in the 2022 elections.
The others include Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo, Anti- Corruption Commissioner Greco Belgica, Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III and Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque.
Mark Villar served as a congressional representative of Las Piñas from 2010 and was already elected for a third term in 2016.
But he resigned from the House of Representatives after he was appointed by Duterte shortly after the 2016 polls to serve as head of the Department of Public Works and Highways.
His father was one of the campaign donors of the incumbent president.
Build, Build, Build!
Tasked to lead the Duterte administration's ambitious "Build Build Build" infrastructure program, the DPWH before Villar has been plagued with alleged anomalies.
But somehow, he succeeded in keeping anomalies in the agency at the barest minimum apparently because his known riches might have helped kept corrupt wheelers and dealers at bay.
The DPWH, which earlier sought a P667.32-billion budget in 2021, was criticized by senators for having around P345.25-billion in lump sum lodged in its proposed spending plan.
Some lawmakers and officials of the department also allegedly ask for "kickbacks" from contractors that win projects from the agency.
Duterte criticized the alleged anomalies in the DPWH but cleared Villar of any involvement in illegal activities stressing that he will not steal because he is already rich.
Gratitude
During his farewell speech, the younger Villar expressed his gratitude to the agency’s workforce for their support to the administration’s ambitious Build, Build, Build infrastructure program.
“Kayo siguro ang tingin niyo sa akin rich kid… After these five years, I feel very rich because of all the friendships that I’ve made in this department, kaya mayaman na mayaman na ako dahil sa inyong lahat,” he said.
Earlier, presidential spokesman Harry Roque said Cabinet members seeking electoral posts next year do not need to quit because they are deemed resigned upon the filing of their COCs.
Highest honor
He said the BuildBuildBuild was the most ambitious infrastructure program in the country that many doubted would succeed, but the department was able to achieve and accomplish its goals since he took over.
“I have a lot of memories with the people I met (at DPWH). The credit should always goes to those here in this department – the millions of workers who worked for the DPWH,” Villar said.
“Thank you that you accepted me as a family here in your organization. You helped me in this very difficult Build, Build, Build program. I told the President that this is the highest honor in my life,” he said.
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