Senator Manny Villar and former Rep. Cynthia A. Villar lead the groundbreaking ceremonies for the Santuario de San Ezekiel Moreno and SIPAG Center in Las Piñas City last Saturday, May 14.

MANILA, Philippines -- Willie Revillame’s new show, “Wil Time Big Time” had a fun-filled and exciting start last Saturday. It was raining hard that afternoon but this did not diminish the enthusiasm of his fans and supporters from going to the show.

The audience, who were given white T-shirts bearing the logo of the new show (the lucky ones even got jackets) to wear during the show, expressed jubilation over the return of their idol to the boob tube. Willie, on his part, stressed that the show is really for them, for those who need help.

“Gusto lang namin talaga makapagbigay ng tulong at saya sa inyong lahat,” he said. Willie also thanked TV5’s big boss MVP (Manny V. Pangilinan) for his unwavering support to him and the show. He enjoined everyone to take note of the set, the stage and the games – “high-tech lahat,” Willie took pride in saying.

The Hitmakers, the collective monicker of veteran singers Rico J. Puno, Nonoy Zuñiga and Marco Sison, sang their signature songs with Rico delivering his trademark irreverent potshots at Willie and Nonoy. Also a special guest was now-Kapatid Richard Gomez, who obliged heartily a request from the audience to render a song.

There were new games, but the “Family Apir” was retained. Players that day were the PBA champions from Talk N Text Tropang Texters who all thanked MVP for his support and for the bonuses given them after winning the championship. For the major and final game (at stake were a million peso cash prize, a two-bedroom fully furnished house courtesy of Camella Homes, and a brand-new car), the Hitmakers (who are set to do another series of concert tour of various cities in the US in August) won over the stars of “Nagbabagang Bulaklak” (Carla Humphries, Arci Muñoz and Ritz Azul) but they were not bold and daring enough to go through the final question. They decided their P85,000 prize was enough.

Willie may have returned to host a new show, but the cases against him (precipitated by six-year-old Jan-Jan Suan’s “sexy” dancing which was perceived as child exploitation by some quarters) continue to be heard. The Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office has started its preliminary hearings and the MTRCB also is undergoing its own investigation of the case. But there are also those who don’t believe Jan-Jan’s dancing was lewd. (By the way, during the show Willie thanked those who texted him during his darkest moments to express their sympathy, support and faith in him.)

Among those who think there was nothing wrong about Jan-Jan’s dance was Dr. Jaime B. Ramirez, president of The National Spiritual Renewal Center of the Philippines and The Children of God Centre. Among other things, Dr. Ramirez noted that “the boy freely performed the dance number within the bounds of freedom and not against morality and decency… He was not coerced and abused by the host Willie Revillame. There was no erosion of moral and spiritual values...”

He also urged the MTRCB to look and investigate the pornographic CD-DVDs being sold in the Quiapo, R. Hidalgo and Recto areas.

By the way, special guests during the launch of “Wil Time Big Time” were Sen. Manny Villar and former Sen. Ernesto Maceda.

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Groundbreaking  for Villar Sipag Center

Also last Saturday, at 9 a.m. Sen. Villar and wife former Rep. Cynthia A. Villar, led the groundbreaking ceremonies for two significant projects of their Villar Foundation: The Santuario de San Ezekiel Moreno in Barangay Pulanglupa along the Old Town Las Piñas Historical Corridor, a tribute to a saint who was Las Piñas City’s beloved parish priest from 1876-1879, and the SIPAG (Villar Social Institute for Poverty Alleviation and Governance) Center.

Sen. Villar said the Santuario de San Ezekiel Moreno is just one of 12 churches that Villar Foundation will build around the country. Another one, the Santuario Madonna del Divino Amore will be constructed in Alabang. The other churches’ locations will be in Crosswinds in Tagaytay, Camella Provence in Malolos, Bulacan; Maia Alta in Antipolo, Rizal; Tierra Nevada in General Trias, Cavite; Plantacion Meridienne in Lipa, Batangas; Azienda in Cebu; Savannah in Iloilo; and at the Gran Europa in Cagayan de Oro.

Empowering the poor and the underprivileged has been a key advocacy of the Villar Foundation of which Sen. Villar is chairman) and the SIPAG Center signals yet another phase in the foundation’s efforts to combat poverty among Filipinos. According to Mrs. Villar, managing director of Villar Foundation, the SIPAG Center will be more than a showcase of the foundation’s projects and campaigns. “It will be a working, proactive center. From its name alone, people can tell that we promote industriousness or hard work to beat poverty. We will guide, train, teach and empower womenfolk, the youth and jobless, and even relatives of Overseas Filipino Workers to persevere in life.

The Villar Foundation has played an active role in helping the poor and underprivileged. One of its programs in fact, has won citations globally, particularly the Villar Foundation’s Las Pinas-Zapote River System Rehabilitation program which recently bested 38 other countries for the United Nation’s “Water for Life” Best Practices Award. The program bagged the UN award because it did not only rehabilitate the river, it also alleviated the living conditions of the poor residents along the riverbanks.

The book “Saving A River, Securing Livelihoods,” written by Ms. Joyce M. Crisanto with foreword by Mrs. Villar, was also launched last Saturday, May 14.

Richard Poon rendered some song numbers for the entertainment of the numerous guests who included prominent personalities in both government and the private sector.

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Tidbits: Happy b-day greetings today, May 18, go to Gift Gate’s Virgie Ramos, Dr. Ligaya Perez, Col. Ben C. Kagaoan, Aleck Bovick, Sonia Bautista, Julie Ong, Richard Joseph, Aida Lustre, Jimmy Williams, Armando Santocildes, realtor Gregoria Baterna, Melanie Ann Lee, Stephen Kim G. Barua, Vic Albornoz Lactaoen, Joyce Fernandez, Emmie Velarde, PDI entertainment editor, and Billy Crawford... Happy wedding anniversary to Popoy and Rachel Los Baños, Boy and Lita Velasco, and Julio and Aning Sy... Belated b-day greetings to Ms. Cory Vidanes… Condolence to the family of Adelaida M. Manahan, formerly with Globe-McKay who passed away recently…