ANGELES CITY, Philippines – Presidential aspirant Sen. Manuel Villar told people here to reject candidates who are either inexperienced or have questionable wealth.
“Noble vision and aspiration for the country is not enough. You must have enough experience to lead this nation of 90 million Filipinos. To save a drowning victim, you must know how to swim,” he said.
He added that the country, already beset with many problems, cannot be entrusted to someone whose presidency would start out as a virtual OJT or on-the-job training.
Villar also told the crowd of 2,000 supporters at the Holy Angel University here last Friday to launch a nationwide entrepreneurship movement.
He also took a jab at candidates who have amassed wealth without working for it or who have no known businesses to back up their wealth but could afford homes in posh villages.
Villar also clarified that he is not campaigning yet.
“I am not campaigning yet because that’s still banned,” Villar told media in a press conference.
His supporters though all donned orange, waved orange balloons and cheered the senator amid orange confetti.
Former city councilor Ireneo Alvaro insisted the affair was merely the launching
of Villar’s Multisectoral Organization of Volunteers for
Entrepreneurship or MOVE slated to be organized in other provinces nationwide.
Among the notable people who attended the event were Angeles City Mayor Francis Nepomuceno and contractor Reghis Romero of RII Builders, who hails from this city.
Villar spoke about his family’s poverty and struggles to finally become one of the biggest real estate developers in the country.
Villar also reiterated his belief that the House of Representatives is bent on pushing for Charter change, but added that “it is early to say what will be the scenario” on this.
Villar, who heads the Nationalista Party, stressed that he has remained an oppositionist but on the “moderate” side.