MANILA, Philippines - Only 38 years old and coming into the Duterte Cabinet with perceived conflict of interest given his family’s vast real-estate and other businesses, elected Las Piñas Rep. Mark Villar promises not to disappoint as secretary of the Department of Public Works and Highways.
And the expectations are high – what with the tall order from President Duterte and the people’s frustrations over traffic jams and flooding problems.
The son of former senator and presidential candidate Manuel Villar told The STAR he could not turn his back on the offer to be part of the Duterte administration. His mother Cynthia, an incumbent senator, also said the same in media interviews.
Villar said the offer came as a “surprise” when he, along with his parents, visited the President in Davao City upon his proclamation as new chief executive.
“It did not occur to me that I would be offered the DPWH (portfolio) and at the same time it was an honor for me, for the President to place that kind of trust (in me),” Villar recounted.
“He spoke directly to me and said ‘I don’t want corruption. I want performance’ and I committed to the President that ‘Sir, you won’t be disappointed’,” he said.
Duterte’s marching orders to him were to perform with integrity and excellence and not to tolerate corruption in the department.
Villar disclosed he no longer consulted other members of his family when he agreed to head the DPWH because he had previously offered his services to the Chief Executive.
He recalled telling Duterte that if there was anything he could do to help the administration, “I was willing to do it.”
“I was ready for it. I did not know that it was the DPWH but I am willing to help the administration (in) any way possible… When you are asked to serve your country, it is hard to say no,” Villar said.
He expressed belief that to be appointed to the DPWH was where he was meant to be. “I believe I can help. I’ve always believed in infrastructure, I believe I can do (something).”
Villar said he had always complained that infrastructure problems needed to be fixed and he would not want to be the type of person who, after being given the opportunity to make a difference, would instead look the other way.
“I thought that (DPWH job) was something I knew, something I could do well,” Villar added.
Fresh blood
Villar, a three-term Las Piñas congressman, is set to make history as the youngest and 43rd secretary to lead the 118-year-old department.
Villar also vowed to capitalize on his youth to inject fresh ideas, idealism and new blood into the institution.
According to Villar, he will “hit the ground running” and prioritize projects that will provide solutions to the monstrous traffic and flood control problems.
His formal assumption to the department was only done recently after he resigned from Congress and his wife, Diwa party-list Rep. Emmeline Aglipay, was designated caretaker representative of Las Piñas by Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez early this month.
Villar was one of the first people appointed by the President to a Cabinet position.
The Villars are old friends of Duterte. When the President was a member of the House representing Davao’s first district, Villar’s father was the House speaker.
“He (Duterte) has been friends with my family for a long time. He knows my family well, he knows our values,” Villar said.
The young Villar was chosen to join the Cabinet because Duterte believed that he was not a corrupt government official and his integrity was unquestionable.
Villar sees heading the DPWH, with its estimated 11,000 employees nationwide, as a challenge.
Villar assured the DPWH rank and file employees that he would be a hardworking, fair and energetic secretary while the stakeholders could expect a professional agency during his term.
“I want to perform,” Villar said, adding that he wanted to be the instrument that would bring the Duterte kind of change to the DPWH.
“I want to bring about the change that the President promised during his campaign. To have zero tolerance on corruption and to create a system that would have accountability and transparency,” he said.
He prides himself in having work experience in both the private and public sectors. He intends to bring whatever he has learned in his 10 years of working in a private company and six years as congressman to the DPWH.
According to his Facebook account, Villar took up economics, philosophy and political science at the University of Pennsylvania and finished his Masters of Business Administration (MBA) at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.