House Villar: Philippines’ Modern Landlords

By Ron Michael Trinidad

In the Philippines, where politics and business are interwoven, few families have mastered this as effectively as the Villars. They have not only built an empire of subdivisions, condominiums, and malls, but a political dynasty that can last for generations.

Their influence extends beyond elected positions — through policies that shape land use, infrastructure, and agriculture, they have played a decisive role in determining who benefits and who is left behind. But as the Philippines moves forward with its aggressive ‘Build, Build, Build’ (BBB) program and rapid land conversions, marking the shift from an agricultural to an industrial country, the impact of these policies exposes stark inequalities.

Manny Villar’s story is often told as a rags-to-riches tale — a young entrepreneur who turned a small housing loan business into Vista Land & Lifescapes, one of the country’s biggest real estate companies. But his biggest asset was not just business acumen; it was political power.

Elected to the House of Representatives in 1992, Manny Villar rapidly ascended the political hierarchy, becoming Speaker and later Senate President. Beyond politics, he is recognized as one of the Philippines’ wealthiest individuals, with significant interests in real estate and various business ventures. His 2010 presidential bid against Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III was marred by the C-5 road extension controversy, where allegations surfaced that he used his influence to realign the C-5 road to benefit his properties, leading to a Senate investigation.

His wife, Cynthia Villar, continued the family’s political legacy, focusing on agriculture and land policies in the Senate. She was instrumental in the passage of the Rice Tariffication Law (Republic Act №11203), which liberalized rice importation. While intended to stabilize rice prices and ensure food security, the neoliberal law had significant repercussions for local farmers struggling to compete with the influx of imported rice and local consumers suffering the price surge in this import-oriented approach.

With their combined influence, the Villars did not just shape laws — they shaped the physical and economic landscape of the country.

As DPWH secretary, Mark Villar oversaw the flagship BBB program, which poured billions into roads, bridges, and other infrastructure. While hailed as a solution to the country’s logistical bottlenecks, BBB also had unintended consequences: land prices skyrocketed, and agricultural areas were increasingly converted into commercial and residential developments.

The Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) confirms in a study that infrastructure projects are the primary drivers of rising land values. When a bypass road is announced, surrounding farmland often becomes prime real estate — not for farmers, but for developers. In many cases, those developers include Villar-owned companies. With more roads come more malls, more subdivisions, and fewer farmlands. The line between business and governance becomes increasingly blurred.

Political dynasties are not unique to the Villars, but a few have blended business and governance as seamlessly. The Villars perfectly exemplify this trend.

Key government infrastructure projects often align with areas where Villar-owned properties are located. Reports have pointed out that real estate prices in Vista Land developments benefit from road networks built under BBB. This arrangement raises concerns over land owners about whether infrastructure planning is truly made for public welfare or for corporate gain.

The rapid decline of Philippine agricultural land is no accident. Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) indicates that the country has been experiencing significant land use changes, with agricultural areas being converted for other purposes. Policies and actions associated with Senator Cynthia Villar have been linked to this issue. Notably, during a Senate session, Senator Villar acknowledged her family’s involvement in real estate development, stating, “We don’t buy agricultural lands in the provinces… We only buy in cities and capital towns.” This perspective has raised concerns about the prioritization of urban development over agricultural preservation.

Furthermore, the lack of progress in passing a law banning the conversion of prime agricultural lands into residential and commercial uses has been highlighted. The inability to enact such legislation has been attributed, in part, to Senator Villar’s leadership of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Food and Agrarian Reform, given her family’s business interests in real estate development.

For every mall that rises, there is a farmland that disappears. For every highway built, there is a community displaced. While urban development is necessary, the speed and scale of land conversion have left many behind.

A notable instance highlighting the impact of land development on farmers involves the construction of the MRT-7 railway and an intermodal transport terminal in San Jose del Monte City, Bulacan. This project, associated with the Villar family’s real estate interests, has led to the displacement of local farmers. In 2015, farmers manifested their concerns over land grabbing and the loss of their livelihoods due to development aggression. Avelino Palo, a farmer affected by the project, stated in Bulatlat’s report that they had been tilling the land for decades but were now being forced out without just compensation. The situation shows the tension between infrastructure development and the rights of small-scale farmers.

As small farmers are weeded out, the country becomes more dependent on food imports. The same policies that favor real estate development over agricultural sustainability are the ones that deepen economic inequality, turning rural communities into slums and displacing indigenous groups.

With elections approaching, Camille Villar is poised to take a larger political role. Unlike her parents and brother, she has maintained a lower profile, but her influence is immensely growing. Despite her “Bagong Boses, Bagong Bukas” campaign, the Villar bloodline’s greediness remains evident.

Her rise follows a familiar pattern in Philippine politics — where comprador politics often matter more than platform or qualifications.

The Villar family’s aggressive drive for “development” has not only displaced countless farmers but also jeopardized the nation’s food security and economy. This prioritization of business over public welfare is a betrayal of the trust placed in them by the Filipino people. The future of the Philippines depends on leaders who prioritize the greater good over personal interests. Dynasts, like the Villars, have historically chosen the latter.