Cynthia Aguilar Villar earned her degree in Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of the Philippines, which recognized her as one of its Distinguished Alumni in 2004.  She completed her Masters in Business Administration at the New York University.

She practiced as a financial analyst and college professor until she married Former House Speaker and Senate President Manny Villar in 1975.  She then helped her husband in various entrepreneurial ventures, eventually making Vista Land the biggest homebuilder in the Philippines. She managed a private development bank from 1989 to 1998.

In 2001, Cynthia Villar won in a landslide victory as Representative of Las Piñas to the Philippine’s House of Representatives, where she completed three terms or nine years of service until 2010.

She was Chairman of Committee on Higher and Technical Education during the 13th and 14thcongress.

She was President of the Lady Legislators during the 12th, 13th& 14th Congress initiating Legislation benefitting women, children and family.

Cynthia Villar’s social and civic concerns are wide and varied.  Thus, in 1992, she founded and chaired the Villar Foundation (now Villar Social Institute for Poverty Alleviation and Governance or Villar SIPAG), the programs of which include providing assistance to OFWs, environment protection and livelihood projects, which she has established in nearly 1900 locations all over the country. She served as Managing Director of the foundation until 2012. She is also an Honorary Member of the Philippine Horticultural Society.

In the 2013 Midterm Elections, Cynthia Villar won as Senator of the country. Senator Villar is the current chairperson of the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Food as well as the Senate Committee on Environment and Natural Resources.

Amidst all her achievements and awards, she successfully raised three well-educated children: Paolo is the CEO of publicly listed Vista Land .; Mark is the Secretary of the Departments of Public Works and Highways (DPWH); and Camille, is the Executive Vice President of Starmall and President of All Home.

 

Congresswoman Villar also served as chairperson of the Congressional Spouses Foundation from 1998 to 2000. During her term, she built 11 regional centers for women who are victims of abuse.

Likewise, she also served as president of the Senate Spouses Foundation, Inc., from August 2006 to December 2008, during which the Foundation raised P25 million for the rehabilitation of charity wards at the Philippine General Hospital.

Cynthia Villar’s social and civic concerns are wide and varied.  Thus, in 1992, she founded and chaired the Villar SIPAG, where she is now actively involved as Managing Director.

Amidst all her achievements and awards, she still considers her family her most cherished treasures and her three well-raised children as her glory. Paolo and Mark are graduates of the Wharton School of Finance—University of Pennsylvania. Her only daughter, Camille, finished her Masters in Business Administration at IESE Business School in Barcelona, Spain . Paolo is the Chief Executive Officer of their publicly–listed housing company Vista Land & Lifescapes Inc. Camille is Executive Vice President of Starmall and President of AllHome. Mark is the Secretary of the Department of Public Works & Highways (DPWH). They are all role models of hard work and perseverance—life values that their parents inculcated in them.