Press Release
April 14, 2010

Villar 'checks' Aquino's lifestyle check dare

Short of flashing his trademark campaign "check" hand-sign, Nacionalista Party (NP) standard-bearer Sen. Manny Villar yesterday said he has no problem undergoing a lifestyle check.

Unlike his political rivals who turned down NP's challenge for psychiatric test, Villar said he is not the kind of a man who would shy away from challenge.

Villar dared his closest rival Noynoy Aquino to take a psychiatric examination in order to dispel once and for all talk that the Liberal Party standard-bearer is a nut case.

But Aquino turned the tables on Villar and challenged the latter to undergo a lie detector test and a lifestyle check instead of a mental test.

"Baka sila pa ang mapahiya sa akin dahil simple lang ang pamumuhay ko at ng aking pamilya (They may be the ones to lose face because my family and I lead simple lives)," said Villar.

Villar, a self-made billionaire, still prefers boiled kamote (sweet potato) and bananas for breakfast. People close to him have numerous anecdotes about his simple lifestyle.

The "poor man from Tondo" said other camps tried to paint him as somebody casually buying off politicians.

"Ang pera ko ay galing sa sipag at tiyaga. Ito ay pinaghirapan ko, dugo at pawis ang naging puhunan ko. Di ko basta ipamimigay ang pera ko. Marunong lang akong makisama noon pa man sa Kongreso," Villar said.

(My wealth is built on hard work and perseverance. I shed sweat and blood to earn a living, so I wouldn't waste my hard-earned money for luxury. I make friends easily even during my stint in Congress.)

He said if you develop interpersonal relationship with others, you would make many friends who will eventually trust in you.

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