Press Release
March 15, 2010

Pacquiao victory seen to boost Villar's bid

CABANATUAN CITY (March 14) - Nacionalista Party (NP) standard-bearer Manny Villar is optimistic that the successful title defense of pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao, an NP member and endorser of the former, will add more momentum to his candidacy.

"Sure it will help," Villar told reporters when asked about the implication of Pacquiao's victory Sunday over Joshua Clottey of Ghana in Texas on his chances of winning the election.

Villar earlier spoke to a crowd of 200,000 during the "Wowowee" concert held at the Kapitan Pepe Subdivision in Cabanatuan City.

Pacquiao runs in the NP ticket for Congress in the lone district of Sarangani, and vowed to join Villar in his campaign sorties after his fight with Clottey.

Villar reiterated that Pacquiao's victory shows the importance of perseverance.

He said like Pacquiao and Willie Revillame, they rose from poverty because of perseverance and hard work.

"Pare-pareho kami na dati'y walang-wala. Ngayon naman meron kaming inabot at ganito naman namin ibabalik sa ating mga mamamayang mahihirap," Villar said. "Ang hindi marunong lumingon sa pinanggalingan ay hindi makakarating sa paroroonan."

(We all had nothing in the past. Now that we have accomplished something, we just want to give back to the poor. One who forgets his past will not reach his destination.)

During Wowowee's presentation, Villar sang Revillame's signature song "Ikaw na Nga," triggering a thunderous applause from the crowd mostly composed of farmers from various barangays in Nueva Ecija.

Revillame, a Novo Ecijano, asked his provincemates to support the presidential bid of Villar. "[He] is the only one who can solve your problems. He is sincere, he comes from a poor family like you. Please help him win the elections," the Wowowee host said.

For his part, Villar said he would prioritize rice technology and infrastructure projects in order to increase farmers' income if he makes it to Malacañang.

Villar also vowed to bring back the old glory of Nueva Ecija as the "Rice Granary" of the Philippines and primary exporter of rice in Asia.

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