PEP EXCLUSIVE: Camille Villar defends her dad Manny Villar against criticism on his donations for Ondoy victims

Rose Garcia
Thursday, October 22, 2009 @ 10:53AM  |  3757 views


Camille Villar (main photo) explains why the relief goods distributed by her dad and supporters bore Manny Villar stickers. "Gusto lang ng dad ko na makatulong because, I mean, he was on the helicopter on Sunday [September 27] and all the days after that. Hindi naman siya kailangang tandaan ng mga tao kasi yun lang naman ang meron kami, e.  My mom is a Congresswoman. My dad is a Senator, so minsan, kapag may mga fiesta-fiesta, meron talagang ganun," she says.

Photo By: Rose Garcia (main); Facebook (inset)













Naimbitahan ang PEP (Philippine Entertainment Portal) sa press launch ng international Celestial Beauty, isang pageant na dalawang taon nang ginaganap sa U.S. Sinusulong ng pageant ang "go-green environment" at nilalabanan ang global warming.

Nagkataong sa bahay ng mga Villar sa Shaw Boulevard ginanap ang press launch.  Lahat ng guests, kasama ang dalawang winners ng nasabing beauty contest, ay personal na sinalubong ng anak nina Sen. Manny Villar at Rep. Cynthia Villar na si Camille.

Bihirang makasalamuha ng entertainment press ang 20-year-old na unica hija ng dating senate president, kaya sinamantala ng PEP ang pagkakataon upang tanungin siya sa ilang isyu ng ipinupukol sa kanyang ama.

Simple at mukha siyang tahimik. Sa katunayan, ang mahiyaing bungad niya sa amin ay hindi raw ito part ng event at dumalaw lang daw talaga siya.

Pero noong usisain namin siya tungkol sa mga kumalat na larawan sa email, kung saan  ang mga relief goods na ipinamigay ay may pangalan ng kanyang ama, hindi napigilan ni Camile ang magsalita.

Aniya, "You know, when I heard about that, it was very hurtful. Kasi, lumabas 'yan, Sunday [September 27]. Saturday night pa lang, our employees at that point, hindi pa kami nakakatulog nun. Kasi nga, Saturday pa lang, we had our engineers, our people, our staff, pumupunta na sila sa iba't ibang areas. Hindi na sila natulog, talagang nag-rescue sila and that's without any need to be given credit.

"Gusto lang nilang talaga na tumulong, and we had the capabilities, so we did. At that time, wala pa kaming tulog and we are so [hurt]."

Mga dump tracks daw nila ang ginamit para i-rescue ang ilan sa mga biktima ng Ondoy at mamigay ng relief goods sa iba't ibang lugar gaya ng lalawigang Rizal.

Ang kuwento pa ni Camille, "Meron nga sa Montalban, Rizal, at happy ang mga tao run na nakarating kami ahead of everyone. And basically, we wanted to do some stuff that was very, very fast. And at that point, we used whatever resources that were on hand."

Nilinaw ng dalaga na walang halong pamumulitika ang kanilang pagtulong.

"Kung meron man na nag-donate in our behalf, kasi...But moreover, with the plastic bags, with the bottled water, those were things that we've used throughout the years. And when there's a calamity, you don't have time to...hindi naman yun [stickers] pina-print noong Friday night. Ginamit na lang namin kung ano yung on-hand na. And with regard to styrofoam, hindi sa amin nanggaling yun."

Binanggit din niya na hindi ang kanilang pamilya ang nagpa-print ng mga stickers.

 "Sinasabi nga ng dad ko, hindi naman siya ang nagpa-print nun. 'Tapos, sinasabi rin niya, kung gusto rin niyang mag-donate ng walang labels, okay lang din. But we used whatever resources we have to help and, you know, when we give out our help, it was really genuinely from us kasi, gusto lang naming makatulong," ang paliwanag ni Camille.

Nakita mismo ng bunso nina Manny at Cynthia ang mga forwarded messages and pictures sa Internet at ilang websites, pero sa sobrang abala niya, hindi na niya gaanong pinansin ang isyu.

"I was able to see it and I was deeply hurt.  People sent it to us and at that time, I don't have time to respond kasi, talagang umiikot kami. Like ako, I personally went to Bulacan and Valenzuela to help. At saka, parang kami kasi, hindi na kami tumigil ng kakatulong, marami pa ring taong nagka-panahon na bumatikos," ang sabi ni Camille.

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