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Mark Aguilar Villar
Senator, Republic of the Philippines
The former secretary of the Department of Public Works and Highways is now a senator
Senator Mark Villar, a former Secretary of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), was elected senator in 2022, joining his mother, Cynthia Villar, in the Senate. Villar previously represented Las Piñas City from the 15th to the 17th Congress (2010–2016), where he authored legislation including the Negosyo Act, promoting microfinancing; and the “Lemon Law,” protecting motor vehicle buyers from deceptive practices. He also championed the Co-Loading Act, which opened domestic shipping to foreign vessels.
In 2016, Villar was appointed DPWH Secretary by President Rodrigo Duterte, overseeing the Build Build Build programme focused on public infrastructure development. In 2022, he was elected to the Senate with a platform supporting the continuation and legislative expansion of Build Build Build under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
On February 7, 2024, Villar introduced Senate Bill No. 2544, or the Veterans Hospital Act, to establish hospitals for veterans in Visayas and Mindanao. In 2023, he urged support for Senate Bill No. 1846, the Internet Transaction Act, aiming to protect online sellers and consumers from fraud. Continuing his advocacy for infrastructure in 2024, Villar champions the development of the Clark Freeport and Special Economic Zone as a key growth area for travel, entertainment, and trade.
“True success is built over time and requires commitment and persistence. There’s no substitute for sheer hard work. Implementing these projects is tedious, tiring and requires long hours over a timespan of many years. In the end, however, the results are spectacular.”
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Villar holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science, Philosophy and Economics, which he received from the University of Pennsylvania in 2001. He pursued further studies at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, earning a Master’s in Business Administration.
