Villar says family won’t benefit from DPWH post

MANILA, Philippines - Incoming public works secretary Mark Villar yesterday vowed to prioritize projects that would boost agriculture and tourism as well as ease traffic.

Villar, who was appointed by incoming president Rodrigo Duterte as Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) secretary, gave assurance that his family’s business would not benefit once he formally assumes the post.

The Villar family is engaged in real estate development.

“Infrastructure is necessary to fuel the growth in GDP. Most countries that have high growth have high infrastructure spending relative to their GDPs,” Villar said, referring to gross domestic product.

He said the estimated P2 billion in daily economic losses due to traffic is a huge restraint to growth, noting the country lags behind in infrastructure spending.

“We have a lot of blockages on the movement of people and cargo. GDP is about productivity, if we want to progress, we must have the infrastructure to support productivity,” Villar said.

The incoming DPWH chief is the son of former Senate president Manny Villar and Sen. Cynthia Villar.

He used to head Crown Asia Inc., one of the developers of Vista Land, the family-owned real estate conglomerate.

Villar said was “very logical” for any president to appoint someone who has a strong background or experience in the work that he will be performing.

He said it was not the first time that a DPWH secretary with ties to the real estate industry was appointed to the post.

Vista Land earlier expressed interest to join in the bidding for DPWH projects, including those under the public-private partnership program.

“They will not bid. They cannot benefit from my position. I will not allow it,” Villar said, referring to Vista Land.