Camille Villar on motherhood and caring for elders

Do children have a moral obligation to take care of their elderly parents?

This is one of the hottest and most debated topics on social media and it’s the same question I asked Las Pinas Rep. Camille Villar when she visited “Fast Talk with Boy Abunda.” She is the unica hija of former senator Manny Villar and Sen. Cynthia Villar, and the mom of two adorable kids namely, Tristan and Cara.

Camille believes it is the responsibility of the children to take care of their parents as a sign of their love and respect for them.

“Naniniwala ako na ‘pag bata tayo, s’yempre, inaalagaan tayo ng mga magulang natin. Pero dapat both ways, so dapat inaalagaan natin ang isa’t-isa,” began Camille, the youngest among three children of Senators Manny and Cynthia. Her two older siblings are Paolo and Mark.

Camille could not stand the sight of elderly parents living in an uncomfortable situation because “for me, I want my Mama and Papa to be comfortable at all times.”

Now that she is raising her children with her husband Erwin Genuino, Camille wants nothing but to give the best to her family. At first, she never thought of being capable of becoming a dedicated and loving mother because she’s “the baby” in the Villar household.

“I try to be a supportive wife. I try to take care of the people around me. Tapos kasi nung bata ako, my whole life, ako ‘yung palaging inaalagaan dahil ako ‘yung baby sa family namin, ako ‘yung pinakabata. (So) nagulat ako noong naging mom na ako, (at) iyon ‘yung pinaka-favorite part ng buhay ko,” remarked Camille.

With husband Erwin Genuino and their two kids — Tristan and Cara. — Photo from Camille Villar’s Instagram

While it is easy to assume that she grew up with instant access to every opportunity and material possession as the daughter of one of the wealthiest couples in the country, Camille said their parents never spoiled them. They grew up in a simple life.

“’Yan (pagiging spoiled) ang ayaw na ayaw ng Mama ko. Gusto niya talaga palagi niyang in-espouse ‘yung simpleng pamumuhay kasi s’ya, simple lang talaga s’ya.”

However, her parents provided them the best education. “’Yung Mama ko sabi n’ya sa lahat ng bagay pwede kang magtipid. Hindi mo kailangan ng luho pero kailangan mo ng magandang edukasyon. So, when it comes to education — the schooling — the best of the best. So, we got everything, including tutors as long as we get to learn, hindi s’ya nagtitipid.”

Camille continued, “Na-spoil ako sa pagmamahal ng Mama ko, ng Papa ko, ng dalawang kuya ko na kahit matanda na kaming lahat, and even if we have our own families now, they still really take care of me, they’re like my stage managers.

“My Kuya Pao, he’s so intelligent that until my MBA (Master of Business Administration), if there’s a case study that I couldn’t understand, I would call him and request him to read it and help me with it,” she amusingly shared.

Camille, on the other hand, would run to her Kuya Mark on matters concerning love and other playful stuff. “So doon talaga ako na-spoil, sa love and attention, plus basketball because of my brothers,” she declared.

It was Mark who taught her to love herself. “I remember my first heartbreak. I cried and I wanted to run after him. But he (Mark) told me not to and just let him go because he said, ‘You don’t wanna be the girl that’s running after the guy. Always think of yourself, keep your pride intact, love yourself and I guess, others will learn to love you.’”

As a parent, how much of you is because of your mom and dad?

“I’m not sure but I hope to get their best parts and pass them to my children because noong bata ako hindi ko minsan maintindihan ‘yung pagka istrikto ng Mama ko, ‘yung pagdisiplina nya sa amin, ‘yung pag-push niya sa amin pero ngayon na Mama na ako naiintindihan ko na.

“Sometimes, you just have to be difficult, you have to say no, you have to teach the values. It’s easier to say yes to everything and it’s easier to let your kids have what they want but it might not be the best for them. So, hopefully, in the way that my mom pushed us, maging ganun rin ako sa mga anak ko. And the way that my dad has always been there for us.”

Camille pointed out the best and worst things about being a Villar.

“The best is everything (laughs), and being cared for by my family.

“Perhaps, the worst is I find myself constantly having to prove myself because whatever I do in life — even if I work, I persevere, and even if I am working from morning ‘til night — many still say that whatever it is that I have is because of my parents.”