The Philippine Online Chronicles

Ok—cast the first stone. Let he who is without sin cast the first stone and bury me in a heap (or shall I say a mountain of stones!) Persecute me if you must—but this will not stop me from saying that, “Yes, Manny Villar is in my shortlist.

This must be the feeling of anyone who openly says that Villar is in his or her short list, more so, if this person is openly and staunchly supporting the person who has been called “Money” Villar. I wonder—the person who coined it must not have thought that “Money” can come to Manny Villar’s favor—the country needs a Manny who can rally the people to have “money” to satisfy their basic needs, for their education, for their homes, for their health, etc. And yes, the Pinoy needs someone who can rally the people for more and to regain their dignity as a people.

Saying, “NO, NOyNOy is not in my shortlist” is easier than openly saying “YES, Manny Villar is”.

The supporters of Noynoy are so vocal about it and are proud because they say their candidate is taintless—no implications of corruption (yet there is no history of competence in legislation at least, the very reason what senators are there for), while the silent supporters of Villar hesitate to come out in the open for fear of persecution, with the black propaganda attacking Villar in response to his infomercials faster than they are produced and aired.

But in the end, come election day—the electorate will vote for their candidate of choice. Magkakaalaman na. I will watch out for this.

Why Manny Villar?

The very first time I was in an interview with him, I listened intently to him talk about leadership, experience, managerial skills and entrepreneurial benefits. At that time I was concerned with platforms, hopeful that the current administration will have someone to reckon with—Manny (who a lot of people now call Money Villaroyo) has given me hope, despite some misgivings about his excessive pre-election spending.

On the personal side

What warmed me during that time was his children’s all out support for him. They came at different times, from different locations I suppose, but that early in the morning, they were there to support their father. Who were we, unknowns, less than 10 bloggers, for the Villar family to come in full force? Who were we for Camille to make a show of affection to her father? Who were we, for Mark and Paolo, his two sons to come, be part of the morning coffee session and respond to our questions about his father? I am a family person, and it warms my heart each time I see family members treat and respect each other well. Oh well, his wife Cynthia did not show up. She didn’t also come on the 2nd interview I had participated in, this time, a larger group.

Also, how well does the person treat other people? I guess, even if you say that Villar was just trying to make up an act, at least he tried. But the way I saw it, he was not acting. How he treated us bloggers at that time was not an act. IF how the Villars behaved were all for SHOW—who were we to deserve such? At that time, and up to this moment, I still see their sincerity. Fool, others of you could call me, but that was and is how I saw and see it.

I could even say I was flattered when on the 2nd meeting Villar identified me as a mother of 7. He said he would always remember me as a “mother of 7”. How during the 3rd time he saw me outside the UP Theater he could still recognize me, and wave back at me, short of a whisper say, ah yes, the mother of 7. How in the 2nd and 3rd meetings his children Camille and Mark would call me, “Tita”, and either make beso beso or shake hands and have small talk. The 3rd time I saw these kids, I was not with the Blogwatch group. I was me, wondering the halls of that function room in AIM looking for my Blogwatch friends.

I am sure Villar did not dictate this on his children. They just grew up well. They are also their own personas.  And this is very important to me. How can one person take care of the welfare of 90 million people if he himself were not a good family man? Villar mentioned that there was no Christmas in their whole life as family that they were not together and that they spend their weekends together.

Oh by the way, Manny VIllar had his usual staff with him. They were there to mingle with us bloggers, both on my 1st and 2nd meet with them. But he was in control—meaning, his staff were not there to direct, to feed information, to influence, to mentor, to choreograph or to talk about him as if he were a little boy. His staff were there to do their work of assisting him in their own capacities and individual tasks, nice gals and guys—talking of their boss with high esteem. Villar was never in a hurry, as he took the time talking with us, free flowing unscripted talk, no holds barred—he knew by heart what he had to talk about, no memorized speeches (I remember what I always hear on radio—“Kailangan bang i-memorize yan?”

On the bigger side

On the bigger side, I have taken time to read and use my brain of about 2.5 pounds (yes, the brain is about 2% of one’s body weight) in discerning the qualifications of Manny Villar, his platform of government, the accusations hurled against him and his answers to these accusations that many people do not even care to know about. I have contributed my share here in Undecided on Manny Villar? hoping that others follow suit and give the man a chance. All the issues have been summarized in this post.

My stance was confirmed when I listened to Pia Cayetano talk of Villar in high esteem as a person, a family man, a businessman and as a legislator in one of the Blogwatch meet ups.

On another side, it just keeps me wondering, despite all these issues—has there even been a case filed in court on the different issues that have been brought up against Villar? I have not heard of any. Even if there were one or two, the court has ruled on his favor, that there was nothing illegal. Even the Senate cleared him of the C5 controversy.

By the way, I took time out to join Blogwatch interview the 7 (out of 9) presidentiables.

Perceptions

It’s all about perceptions now, or maybe the case of a horse pulling a carriage. It has its eyes covered by its master so that it would look only toward one direction. Are many Filipinos now similar to these horses—with no choice but to look only one way? Are many Filipinos taking the easy way out believing in black propaganda without discerning, without using the wisdom that they have been gifted?

The problem with us Filipinos is that when we have complaints, we just complain. When we have rants, we just rant. We love to talk and talk and talk. But where is the solid action? We say that this politician is this and that, but it all ends there. Some people who have the means would not even dare come out in the open and write or talk in support of what they want to advocate.

I have heard a lot of people complain, rant and rave. Why vote for a plunderer and ex-convict? He will only plunder dry the coffers of the country. Why vote for La Gloria’s candidate? He will only bring her back to power. Why vote for a rich kid? He won’t even know how to distribute wealth and govern. Why vote for a young man? Idealism is different from reality. Why vote for a dictator? We will only go back to the Marcos days. Why vote for a religious leader? He might bring more suffering to the masses. And yes, why vote for an unpopular candidate who will not even stand a chance? Using the process of elimination, we are left with none. There is no perfect candidate. But we have to vote. We have to vote not for the most popular candidate, not for the lesser evil but for the person who we feel will bring us out of a seemingly hopeless state. We have 9 candidates for president. We may not even have a popular president, since we are more divided this time. Choose ONE—your one sacred vote.

Some people, if they ever believe in the man that Manny Villar is, could not say so. Afraid perhaps of the persecution coming their way, of being criticized, impugned or labeled as a Villar man or woman, as against the easier way of siding with the “clean” and the “uncorrupt”.

Have we truly become subservient as to how other countries perceive us to be? Or is the formula working of  “keeping the people poor” so that they would not and could not complain? And be willing to accept scraps, to accept loose change, to be entertained, and live on a day to day basis?

We have never learned. When can we love ourselves and get what we deserve as a citizen of our country? Yes, only when we are able to love ourselves will one be able to love others and love our country.

Go to the court of law—not in the court of public opinion.

With the elections 24 days away, we are to expect more and more criticisms and allegations against Villar. In the news, the group of Sanlakas, the party list says it will file a plunder case against Villar on allegations of land grabbing, using Villar's former lawyer Restituto Mendoza as one of its witnesses. Mendoza is the same person who filled a case of illegal dismissal against Villar, whose lawyers, in turn, filed a disbarment case against Mendoza, including criminal charges--for blackmail, slander and extortion.

On the other hand, Erap is out to discredit Villar about alleged irregular transactions involving the shares of his holding company Vista Land and Lifescapes Inc. Villar’s camp calls Erap’s and Enrile’s claims as lies and challenged them to produce evidence that Villar has manipulated the stock market. The public offering of the stocks in question according to them was in compliance with the requirements of the Securities Regulation Code and the rules of the Philippine Stock Exchange.

There will be more of these mudslinging and black propaganda, dirtier and murkier in the coming days till the end of the campaign period, playing on people’s emotions. Time is running short for people who are desperate such that they pursue the court of public opinion rather than the court of law.

Final say

I am giving the man a chance, and with this, I say YES, Manny Villar is in my shortlist. Ok—Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.

Photo: “Manny Villar @ The Colors of T'nalak by Louie D.Photography” by Louie D., c/o Flickr. Some Rights Reserved