The other side of Mark Villar
SECRETARY Mark Villar’s first meeting would usually be at 7 a.m. Some days, he wouldn’t even have the time to dry his hair or have breakfast. But I’d often notice that before leaving the house, he’d go to the room of Emma Therese – his two-year-old daughter first. He tells me the country’s huge infrastructure deficit is not only causing the country 12.4 billion a day, it has also made life even shorter.
People who work with Sec. Mark would know he works more than 14 hours a day. He would schedule his last meeting very late at night, and when DPWH has to open a new road or highway in a high traffic transport area, he’d insist on scheduling it as early as 12:01 a.m. His instruction is clear – opening and construction of new roads should cause as minimal traffic as possible.
After several years of working with him, I’ve rarely seen him complain. When he does, it would be only be because he no longer sees Cong. Em and Emma.
Love against all odds
When Sec. Mark first asked Cong Em to go on a date, she declined. She thought he was superficial and would not be able to handle the rashes, the hair loss, and the frequent visits to the hospital. She was not interested in dating around and was comfortable being single. She knew lupus, an autoimmune disease, was difficult to accept and live with. At one point, she was experiencing excruciating joint pains that she needed someone to feed her.
It took Sec. Mark one year to convince Cong Em to go out for lunch. The first date went well, better than they both expected. But after several dates, Cong Em wanted him to see her without the wig and make up. At that time, she was bald and had butterfly rashes on her face. He didn’t run away like she expected him to. Instead, Sec. Mark laughed and told her she didn’t have to wear the wig or the make up when they’re together. He would often joke – “Pati asawa ko, nakuha ko sa Sipag at Tiyaga.”
Marriage despite Typhoon Mario
Now, Sec Mark is the head of the DPWH – the national agency mandated to undertake national roads and highways and flood control projects.
He is no stranger to flooding. In fact, the venue of their civil wedding ceremony had to be moved after Typhoon Mario forced the Supreme Court to close earlier. One of the first challenges he faced as the minister of DPWH was the Maysilo Mandaluyong Flood Control Project.
When he gave the contractor the ultimatum to finish the project on or before September 30, or swim in the flood – we knew he meant business. A 24/7 implementation program was immediately prepared with weekly deliverables.
Inspections were detailed and unannounced. At times, even we were surprised. There would be days when we’d receive a text late at night to gather the team and meet him at 11:30 p.m. So when the Maysilo drainage project was completed on time, we all felt relieved and hopeful.
People would often ask why I liked working with Sec Mark. For one, he hired me in a café when I was only wearing shorts, slippers, and a hoodie. This was a man who gave me an opportunity when I least expected it, who paid no, or very little, attention to clothes or appearance. Second, his vision, policy, and strategy for the department are both ambitious and admirable. In the first six months of his term, he was able to employ drone technology, eliminate ghost projects via satellite technology, improve project delivery by implementing 24/7 construction schedule in key projects, simplify and increase effectiveness of right of way processes, and create a 24/7 multi-media citizens feedback mechanism, among others.
In the next five years, Sec Mark plans to triple the existing highway network by building a total of 18 expressways with a total length of 655 km. Some say, the plan is too grand. After working with him for several years — i’m certain it can be done.