Bridging The Gap

Manny Villar projects himself as a poor boy who, with hard work and industriousness, became one of the richest men in the country. What he has not touched is how he filled the capital gap between his poor start and his dreams. That’s where his missus, Las Pinas congresswoman Cynthia Villar comes in.

It’s known all over that she is the moneyed one (her side of the family, anyway). And this is what provided the much needed moolah to make those dreams come true. (But I wouldn’t go to the extent that others suggest – that marrying her took a lot of Sipag at Tiyaga)

And at a certain point in the building up of wealth, it becomes important that you have a measure of political power. The formula: money begets power and power begets money.

Indeed, Manny’s economic success and political career had been fully supported the wife’s money – but make no mistake, she was never a passive investor. She holds the purse strings. His run for the presidency is fully supported but only in so far as it plays out as a good investment for the family fortunes. The moment the cost-benefit analysis doesn’t look good, all talk of service to the people will disappear.

Yes, they are spending money. But all these under the direct control of Madame Cynthia. In fact, the wife’s control is on ALL money, including the funds Senator Villar has at his disposal from the Senate.

It is no secret that even grants and financial aide for projects, medical and scholarship needs released by the Development Funds of the Office of Senator Villar are NOT signed by Manny, his Chief of Staff or even a Senate office staffer duly authorized. NO! They bear the signature of Rep. Cynthia Villar!

Yes, funds release by the Senator Manny are authorized by Cynthia of the House of Representatives.

How conjugal! Imelda had to ask Ferdinand, but in this case Manny will have to do the asking.