Cynthia Villar to critics: Why are you mad at my husband’s success? 

MANILA, Philippines —What’s wrong if a poor boy from Tondo becomes successful and be even named as the richest man in the Philippines?

On Thursday, Senator Cynthia Villar issued stronger statements in defense of her husband, property tycoon Manny Villar, who was listed by Forbes Magazine as among the world’s wealthiest people.

For the first time also, Manny Villar topped the list of Filipino billionaires with an estimated $5.5 billion net worth.

READ: Manny Villar is richest of 17 Filipino billionaires on Forbes list

Asked over ABS-CBN News Channel on Thursday about her alleged conflict of interest  being the wife of the country’s richest  man, Senator Villar pointed out that they have been in business even before they became public officials.

“We’re very careful about conflict of interest kasi madedemanda kami dyan,” she said, adding they have lawyers helping them to make sure there is no conflict of interest in their dealings.

“And do you take it against my husband who was a poor boy in Tondo to make it good in this world?”

“He’s an inspiration to all the poor people that if you work hard, you can be what you want to be someday. So masama ba yun? Bakit sila nagagalit na nagtagumpay yung husband ko? Di ba dapat i-admire nila yun?” the senator added.

Senator Villar chairs both the Senate committee on agriculture and food, and the agrarian reform.

Villar also hopes to keep the chairmanship of the committee on agriculture should she succeed in securing another Senate term in the upcoming elections.

“It’s an advocacy for me. You know, the advocacy of our family is poverty reduction. And if you will analyze, the poorest people in the Philippines are in agriculture,” said the senator.

“So of you want to do a really sincere poverty reduction effort, then you have to have the farmers and the fisherfolk because they are the poorest in this country,” Villar added.  /muf