Mark Villar

Mark Aguilar Villar (born August 14, 1978) is a Filipino politician and businessman currently serving as the Secretary of Public Works and Highways of the Philippines. He is the son of former Senate President and 2010 presidential candidate Manny Villar and incumbent Senator Cynthia Villar. He served as the Representative of Las Piñas in the Philippine House of Representatives and has also previously held executive positions in his family's real estate businesses. A member of the Nacionalista Party, Villar was appointed by President Rodrigo Duterte to join his Cabinet on May 17, 2016 and assumed office upon his resignation from Congress on August 1, 2016 replacing Rafael Yabut.

Villar was born on August 14, 1978 to real estate tycoon and politician Manny Villar and his wife, Senator Cynthia Villar. He is the second of three children, with an older brother, Paolo, and younger sister, Camille. He attended the International School Manila in Makati, Metro Manila before moving to the United States to pursue higher education. He earned his bachelor's degree in Economics, Political Science and Philosophy from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He also finished his master's degree in Business Administration from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.

On his return to the Philippines, he worked for 10 years in the family's real estate business. He was President of Crown Asia Corporation before becoming managing director of Vista Land & Lifescapes.

Villar was first elected to public office in 2010 as congressman of the lone district of Las Piñas, succeeding his mother, Cynthia Villar, a three-term representative who became senator. During his term, he served as Chairman of the House Committee on Trade and Industry, as well as Vice Chairman of the House Committees on Overseas Workers Affairs, Labor and Employment, and Science and Technology.

As a member of the 15th and 16th Congress, he authored several bills on education, health and livelihood, including the Negosyo Act promoting micro finance and the Lemon Law protecting buyers of motor vehicles. He was also one of the proponents of the Co-Loading Act which opened domestic transport and shipping to foreign vessels.

Villar ran for a third term during the 2016 elections and won. A special election will be held to replace Villar who joined the Cabinet of President Rodrigo Duterte on August 1, 2016. Pending the special election to be held in Las Piñas to fill in Villar's seat in the lower house, House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez has designated his wife, Emmeline Aglipay Villar, as interim representative.

Emmeline Aglipay Villar became an undersecretary of the Department of Justice and was part of the team that reviewed the water concession agreements of Maynilad Water Services and Manila Water.

Villar is married to fellow lawmaker, Department of Justice Undersecretary Emmeline Yan Aglipay. They have a daughter, Emma Therese.