Manny Villar the rich kid of Tondo

The wind is chilling as I walked home from work. Though I was wearing an overcoat obviously it wasn’t a help. Heading home, thirty minutes past two in the morning in an empty stomach was a suicide so I decided dropping by the nearest McDonald. For months these has been my nightly routines (or is it a morning routine?).

I was starving that I have actually eating my fries while waiting for the cab. Then I have noticed a group of kids, the rugby boys singing, teasing each other and sniffing rugby in between. I was wondering why in the wee hour of time they were still out in the dark. Aren’t they sleeping? Anyways, these kids were a picture of joy as they sing along the famous campaign jingle “Naging Mahirap” (Once a poor) of presidential aspirant, the billionaire Manny Villar.

Because of the catchy lyrics and recorded mainly for its target audience, the masses, the song became a hit that its popularity can even topped the controversial CX5 scandal, apparently - a scandal dragging the once Tondo poor boy, Manny Villar for an anomalous road extension transactions that allegedly benefited his real estate business.

I must admit, I’m smiling whenever somebody would sing this song in different versions. Still, I am not convinced that Manny Villar was once a poor boy. In an issue of Philippine Daily Inquirer dated 03 March 2010 by Elen Francisco, “Villar was never a Tondo poor boy”, the author stated that Villar’s family was infact belonged to the Class AB or the top 10% of the 50s/60s population. Manny took his elementary at the Holy Child Catholic School and went his high school at Mapua both a private schools. If you were a poor boy who swam with the garbage and spent Christmas on the street but can afford a private education, what are you then, the male version of Annie Batungbakal? Lol. To read more of the stories click here.

Anyways here’s the video with the lyrics for you to sing along with lol, the Naging Mahirap.


video credit

Naging Mahirap

Nakaligo ka na ba sa dagat ng basura?
Nag-Pasko ka na ba sa gitna ng kalsada?
Yan ang tanong namin,
Tunay ka bang isa sa amin?

Nalaman mo na bang mapapag-aral ka nya?
Tutulungan tayo para magka-trabaho?
At kanyang plano'y magka-bahay tayo?

Si Villar ang tunay na mahirap.
si Villar ang tunay na may malasakit.
Si Villar ang may kakayahan
At gumawa ng sariling pangalan.

Si Manny Villar ang magtatapos
ng ating kahirapan.

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