Cynthia

What’s in a name? It’s amazing how, sometimes, one’s given name is truly a reflection of one’s personality. Cynthia (woman from Cynthus) is apparently one of the nicknames of the Greek goddess Artemis, who together with her twin brother Apollo was born on Mount Cynthus.

Cynthia or Artemis has been described as “strong, loyal, brave, blunt, impulsive, encouraging, daring, witty and independent.” She was regarded as the most tough of the goddesses who was “friendly and kind to her allies, benevolent to her followers but harsh when crossed. In other words, Artemis was a goddess who knows what she wants and is not afraid to go after it.

Cynthia, my wife, is a tough, loyal, passionate, caring, and independent person who has a strong sense of what is right and wrong and an even stronger sense of what it takes to do what is right no matter what. That is the reason why some people unfairly criticize her for being harsh even without understanding the entire context. Sometimes, someone would just post a clip and people would immediate rush to judgment. 

Social media is an amazing platform that connects people and really has the potential to make our democracy vibrant. But it can also do some damage when people do not exercise caution and make sure that they have all the right information before jumping to conclusions.

Cynthia is an amazing person. That is the reason why I fell in love with her when we met in UP Diliman. I remember I would accompany her on her way home to Las Piñas then make the trip back home to Tondo. We would have simple dates — watching movies, eating simple foods and talking. I am very thankful that I have her as a partner as we built our beautiful family. And as I promised to her when I was just courting her, I look forward to growing old with her and spending the rest of our lives together.

Cynthia came from a political family. She was just a 13-year-old child when her father, the late Dr. Filemon Aguilar became mayor of Las Piñas. Her father was a legend in Las Piñas politics. He was fondly called “Lolo Cong” by his constituents in Las Piñas and Muntinlupa. He entered politics in the 1960’s, serving as Las Piñas mayor from 1964 to 1986, then becoming the congressman of Las Piñas and Muntinlupa until 1992. I am certain that this legendary status as a public servant made quite an impression on a young Cynthia Villar.

But her entry to public service would come much later in life. She was focused on doing what her mother taught her — become educated, hard work, and living a simple life. And that was why I was immediately attracted to her, we shared the same values. She earned her degree in Business Administration from UP and went to the prestigious New York University for her Master’s in Business Administration. After completing her studies she worked various jobs — financial analyst, college professor, manager of a private development bank, and, of course, entrepreneurship.

She first entered the world of public service when she ran and won as representative of Las Piñas City in 2001, a role she would fiercely fulfill for three consecutive terms. In 2013, she ran and won a Senate seat. Then in 2019 she ran for reelection and became the topnotcher garnering 25.2 million votes which represented more than 53 percent of the votes cast in that election. That victory was a testament to her passion as a public servant. That fierceness, that spirit, that enthusiasm to pursue what is good for the people is the same intensity that some people misinterpret. That passion for public service is what makes Cynthia perfectly suited and qualified to lead the city that she genuinely loves. (To be continued)

Source: