Camille Villar: Daddy's Little Darling

MANILA, Philippines - She is sweet, her face oftentimes untouched by make-up. She doesn’t flaunt signature accessories. She’s genuinely friendly and her charm is not, unlike that of most siblings of the May elections’ major players, “politically-motivated.” Camille Villar, the daughter of Sen./Presidentiable Manny Villar, is for real, nothing put-on whatsoever, disarming the movie writers (requested to come in orange, the Villar color) who had lunch with her yesterday at the Villar Mansion in Mandaluyong City with her sincerity and simplicity. 

Inevitably drawn into the eye of intrigues surrounding her father, Camille told the movie writers that the more her father’s political opponents dig up dirt against him, the closer the family becomes.

“We spend as much time as we can with our dad,” said Camille. “We always have breakfast together and we talk about anything, except politics. Does he read the papers? Yes, he does but these days not usually the front pages. He goes straight to the business section, the world news, the business section and the entertainment section.”

Asked if her dad shows signs of stress and strain at home (you know, if he has become “cranky,” etc.), Camille said no, not at all.

“As if nothing is happening,” she added. “We refrain from asking him about what’s happening in the Senate. He has so many other problems to attend to. We want to spare him the pain that he doesn’t deserve.”

According to Camille, her dad minds not so much his own problems as those of his children.

“Mas iniintindi pa niya kung ano ang problema naming magkakapatid na actually wala naman.”

Life goes on at the Villar household even as the formal campaign period draws near. They are bracing for bigger “storms” until voting comes on May 10.

“I just hope that they don’t invent more stuff against my father,” said Camille.

As usual, Camille said that her father wakes up at around 6 a.m. (“No matter how late he turns in”).

“He gets only five hours of sleep per night but that’s enough for him. If the intrigues on the job affect him, he doesn’t show it at all. He’s cool pa rin.”

Does she have any regrets about her father’s decision to run for President?

“No,” Camille said. “Marami pang taong dapat tulungan. We cannot, we should not, be selfish.”

And by the way, is it true that her father paid Dolphy millions (30 or 100?) to endorse his candidacy?

“No,” said Camille with a straight face. “He’s doing it for free because he believes in my dad.”

Manny Villar is behind the campaign to elevate Dolphy as a National Artist. — RICKY LO