Manny Villar back among Forbes Asia’s ‘Heroes of Philanthropy’

MANILA, Philippines — Tycoon and former Senate president Manuel Villar Jr. has returned to Forbes Asia’s annual Heroes of Philanthropy list.

Villar, chairman of Vista Land & Lifescapes Inc., is the only Filipino in the 18th annual edition of the Heroes of Philanthropy roster.

The Forbes Asia list consists of 15 entries featuring philanthropists “who have made significant contributions and demonstrated commitment to causes they cherish over the past year.”

In 2020, Villar also made it to the list’s 14th edition.

Forbes selected the 15 entries on the 2024 list for their philanthropic efforts in the past year, making significant donations from their own fortunes.

Corporate philanthropy was not considered, unless the company is privately held and the individual is a majority owner.

Forbes said that Villar, on his end, donated P615 million or $10.4 million last October to build a church and school inside Provence, a residential community about 40 kilometers north of Manila being developed by his company.

Vista Land said Villar’s gift to the local Catholic Church consisted of 1.2 hectares of land, valued at P613 million and the rest in cash.

A groundbreaking ceremony for the church in the city of Malolos was held last month.

“It has always been my belief that communities flourish when faith and education are at (their) center,” Villar said.

Villar is regarded as the country’s wealthiest individual with an estimated net worth of $17.3 billion.

The former politician had also previously donated more than two hectares of land to Manila’s Saint Jude Catholic School and completed the donation of five hectares to the University of the Philippines with a combined value of P8 billion.