Villar reaping the rewards of sipag at tiyaga

Nacionalista Party standard-bearer Manny Villar yesterday shot back yesterday at his critics' charge that his rags-to-riches story is too good to be true and that it is impossible to get rich without being corrupt.

"Ako ay talagang nagtataka kung bakit hindi nila matanggap na pwedeng magtagumpay sa buhay sa pamamagitan lamang ng sipag at tiyaga. Hindi naman imposibleng yumaman sa malinis na paraan," Villar said.

(I am really wondering why they cannot accept the fact that one can succeed through hard work and perseverance. It is not impossible to get rich from honest work.)

The former Senate president also slammed his foes for their fascist view that somebody from the ranks of the poor stands no chance for a shot at the presidency.

"Hirap na hirap silang isipin na ang isang mahirap ay pwedeng maging presidente ng ating bansa (They cannot seem to comprehend that it is possible for someone who rose from poverty to become the president of the country)," Villar said.

Villar said those doubting his poor origins are mostly people belonging to rich clans whose wealth was built without work.

"Unlike them, I was not born to wealth. I was raised from poverty. I had to struggle my way through life. Thus, whatever I have accomplished and have now are fruits of my hard work and perseverance," he said.

Villar bewailed that the country has been controlled by the same people from the elite groups like the Cojuangcos, Aquinos, Madrigals and Aranetas.

Liberal Party presidential bet Senator Noynoy Aquino is the son of former President Corazon Cojuangco Aquino whose family owned vast tracts of lands in Tarlac; Senator Jamby Madrigal is a scion of the rich Visayan-Spanish Madrigal clan; and administration candidate Gilbert Teodoro also belongs to the Cojuangco family. Vice presidential candidate Senator Mar Roxas belongs to the moneyed Araneta clan.

"Why are these families ganging up on me? Is it really impossible for someone poor to get rich in an honest way?" asked.