Villar, poor man's son, makes pitch

MANILA, Philippines - Sen. Manuel Villar Jr. urged voters yesterday to choose as the nation’s next president a person representing the poor.

Speaking before 300 local officials of Cavite, Villar said the voters must not send “another rich person” to Malacañang.

“Let us give the poor a chance,” he said in Filipino.

“It’s not wrong to be rich, but someone from the poor should be given a chance to lead the nation.”

Villar said a person need not be the son of a former president to be qualified to run and be elected president.

Filipinos can only claim to be truly free if they elect as president someone who comes from the poor, he added.

Villar said he is not threatened by the sudden rise in the surveys of Sen. Benigno Aquino III. “There are still euphoria (after the death of the late President Aquino),” he said.

“So I am not surprised. I believe that’s just for the momen. I also started in the number six of the surveys, and slowly I went up.”

Villar said he remains “determined” to run for the presidency.

“I am not affected (by Aquino’s entry in the presidential race),” he said.

“Noynoy’s entry (in the derby) is welcome. I hope that the first round would soon end, there were eliminations. We are in for the next round. It’s still a long way and we still have many things to do.”

Villar said he was not taking potshots at Aquino in his speech.

“Even GMA is child of a former president,” he said.

“So there is nothing wrong with that, for as long as a child of a poor man will also be given a chance to become president.”

Villar said he has not decided yet on who will be his running mate. 

“We are considering everyone, all are classified,” he said.

Villar led the NP yesterday in signing an agreement for a coalition with the Partido Magdalo of Cavite.

Representing the three-decade-old Partido Magdalo were Cavite Rep. Crispin Remulla and gubernatorial aspirant Jonvic Remulla.

“We deem Sen. Villar as the sole unifying factor whose leadership can reach out to various sectors in a bid to propel the country to higher ground,” Representative Remulla said.

“We are guaranteeing his win in Cavite,” Jonvic Remulla said.

“ That’s a snapshot, and whoever commissioned the survey, we have to respect that. Let’s see two months from now where are contenders will be when the emotions have died down.”

Villar said as the country’s two oldest political parties coalesce, the fight against poverty, reminiscent of the forefathers’ struggle for independence has intensified.

“The support from Partido Magdalo empowers our drive against hunger in the country,” he said.

Villar administered the NP oath to more than 300 Caviteño leaders, including 13 out of 23 mayors in rites at the historic Laurel House in Shaw Boulevard, Mandaluyong.      – Christina Mendez