FORMER Sen. Manuel B. Villar Jr. was conferred the prestigious Accountancy Centenary Award of Excellence in recognition of his vital contributions to the development of the accounting profession in the Philippines.
This award was given to Villar as one of the 100 notable Filipino certified public accountants “who have proven themselves worthy of honor and emulation and who demonstrated unquestionable integrity, contributed immensely in the advancement of the accountancy profession and participated in national development.”
“It is a tremendous honor to be included in the Centenary Awardees for Excellence. I am infinitely humbled to be included in the who’s who, the hall of fame, of the field of Philippine accountancy. The list of 100 notable Certified Public Accountants [CPA], vetted and approved by the board, is indeed the epitome of excellence, unquestionable integrity, and immeasurable contribution not only to the field but to the Filipino nation as well,” Villar was quoted in a statement as saying.
Villar, the country’s richest person according to Forbes magazine, was feted by the Professional Regulatory Board of Accountancy, the Philippine Institute of Certified Public Accountants, Association of Certified Public Accountants in Commerce and Industry, Association of Certified Public Accountants in Public Practice, Government Association of Certified Public Accountants and the National Association of Certified Public Accountants in Education, in celebration of the 100th year anniversary of the accountancy profession in the country.
Villar, who is a CPA, graduated from the University of the Philippines with a degree of Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Masters in Business Administration. He worked at premier accounting firm Sycip, Gorres, Velayo and Co. (SGV & Co.) prior to establishing his groundbreaking venture into real estate development.
He currently serves as the chairman of listed property developer Vista Land and Lifescapes Inc., which established well-known residential brands such as Camella, Crown Asia, Brittany and Vista Residences, and commercial property development, Vista Malls.
Villar is now focused on creating township developments, Vista Estates in Las Pinas, comprising upscale subdivisions, high-rise residential condominiums, office towers and commercial properties.
Villar is also the chairman of AllValue Holdings Corp., the family’s privately-held firm that includes home improvements retailer AllHome, grocery chain AllDay Supermarket and Coffee Project, among other retail and restaurant businesses. He also chairs listed firm Golden MV Holdings Inc., that includes Golden Haven, the largest Philippine deathcare property developer in terms of number of projects.
Villar holds the distinction of being the only post-war public official who became Speaker of the House of Representatives and President of the Philippine Senate.
