Ultra bilyonaryo Manny Villar is beaming with pride over his daughter Camille Villar, who is poised to clinch a seat in the Senate after a challenging yet composed campaign that, he says, revealed her strength and maturity.
“I am particularly impressed and immensely proud of my daughter’s first nationwide campaign. She honed her message, managed her team with utmost professionalism, ignored all the political noises, and more importantly, conducted herself with dignity, acuity, and character,” wrote the former Senate president in his Manila Bulletin column.
“She was hit with lies and disinformation until the final hours of the campaign but she remained steadfast which to me is further proof that she deserves a seat in the upper chamber. That is class,” Villar added.
As of the latest count, Camille is sitting comfortably in 10th place with over 13.3 million votes—well within winning territory. But for the Villar family, the celebration is tempered by disappointment: outgoing Senator Cynthia Villar failed in her bid to reclaim the lone congressional seat of Las Piñas.
“This election cycle also holds special significance for our family…The result is bittersweet…We would have wanted to celebrate a double victory but that is democracy,” Villar said.
Still, Villar expressed admiration for his wife’s campaign, saying she remained focused on her vision for Las Piñas despite personal attacks.
“I remain proud of Cynthia for running a superb campaign, ignoring the personal attacks her opponents threw at her, and focusing on what really matters—the future of our beloved city, Las Piñas,” he said.
