The Philippine Online Chronicles

“The mere fact that I am here , if I did not find this as important,  I would probably spend 15 minutes with you and say good bye.  This is not the first.  I have always been open to this group.

Jane asked the senator “normally the past presidents have a Malacanang Press Corps,  what do you think is the role of  bloggers or new media in Villar’s Administration?” The question elicited laughter from the bloggers present.

As we continued to sip our coffee, Villar continued on, “and I now say, this (new media)  is important . I can say whenever I get to be invited here, I will attend.  There are some groups I don’t attend not because I don’t believe in them  but in terms of importance ...I have limited time. I consider this medium as the medium of the future.  It is good to know about it.  Yan na yan”

He doesn’t underestimate bloggers  " In fact, I like it. Gusto ko ito. It is free-wheeling. It is hard to read from prepared speeches:

I then told Villar. "The online audience are enjoying the chat. They want us to eat lunch so our chat can be extended”,

Laughter from Senator Villar and the bloggers boomed in the cozy coffee chat.

“Nag-enjoy din ako. Mas happy ako dito”

Villar's talks of bloggers at position 4:40

I first met Senator Villar in July 2009. It wasn’t unusual for politicians to meet with bloggers even as early as 2008 .I grabbed  this opportunity to understand their issues and plans.

.All I knew about Manny Villar is that he is a successful real estate business man and associated with that C5 mess.  I was playing with a review unit of the Nokia N 97 and recorded our interview without his knowledge at first. Eventually I told him he was live and that there were “phone in questions” .  I asked him about the temptation of corruption.

This topic led him to explain the C5 controversy. (view interview at1:15) which I admitted that I am not really following. “What were you accused of?”

He rattled all of the accusations from insertion to misalignment.

Where is the corruption? After one year, they have not proven anything. This will not stop until 2010.

As I reviewed the video interview, I am amazed how patient Senator Villar was with my questions. Honestly, I didn’t read the newspapers in those days. Recent events on C5 controversy and Senate Ethics committee made me realize why he was patient with me.  I was out to know the truth without judging him.

I heard Manny Villar’s privilege speech over AM radio yesterday and the facts presented are the same as 6 months ago when we first talked about it.   He practically debunked Winnie Monsod’s article on the C5 controversy.

You can see as far back as July 2009 that he talked openly to media who wanted to seek the truth. Why would he subject himself to a hostile and partisan setting?

Talking to people who genuinely wants to know the truth is not cowardly.

Did President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo talk openly to  the people or even media ? I bet not as free wheeling and as candid as our chat with Senator Villar.

While the drama unfolded at the senate, I felt the news was destroying the senator.  I was curious to hear his side of the story or is it the same old story?   I contacted the senator’s new media guys and requested for  any press release that provided clarity to the accusations.  (here , here , and here) . Villar’s press statement was not far from the  video interview.  I told them that data presented at the Senate was very convincing. It didn’t help that he did not show up at the Senate.

Taking the opportunity to clarify the issues before his colleagues was necessary for those who just found out about the c5 controversy. Not many were even aware that this was a two year old issue. Villar’s new media guys texted me that the “senator villar is joining the senate session and will be delivering his privilege speech”.

Of course, the new media guys are cooperative because it is election period. Will the senator still value the role of new media or compelely shun us off after the elections?

I hope the door of communication is wide open to whoever becomes president. What is clear is if we offer an invitation to Senator Villar, he will make time for it.  I like the idea that he or at least his staff knows how to work well with bloggers.

His promises remain to be seen. During the first photo opportunity, I told Senator Villar that if he becomes President of our country, I will show this photo and remind him of his promises.

And he reassured me “Don’t worry, I will pursue Entrepreneurship even if I am not President” and then thanked me for bringing up the topic of his cause on the small and medium-sized enterprises.

He emphasizes the importance of  bloggers and new media. “The proof of the pudding is in the eating.  “

“When you  look at what I am doing, I mean what I say."

Photos by Noemi Lardizabal-Dado. The second photo by Chuavness. Some Rights Reserved.