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Mark Villar proclaimed as senator, seeks unity to 'build country Pinoys deserve'

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ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Mark Villar at the proclamation ceremony of the winning senatorial candidates at the PICC on May 18, 2022. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/news/05/18/20220518-mark.jpg"/><figcaption>Mark Villar at the proclamation ceremony of the winning senatorial candidates at the PICC on May 18, 2022. <em>Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA - Former Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar was proclaimed among winning Senate candidates on Wednesday, as he echoed presumptive president Ferdinand &quot;Bongbong&quot; Marcos Jr&#x27;s call for unity. </p><p>&quot;Now is the time for us to be really unified, to work together as one, and make sure that we &#x27;build, build, build&#x27; a country that the Filipino deserves,&quot; said Villar, who cited the need to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. </p><p>Villar, 43, is the third member of his family to win a Senate seat. His father, billionaire Manny Villar, served as Senate President from 2006 to 2008. His mother Sen. Cynthia Villar is said to be vying for the position.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/spotlight/05/18/22/marcos-allies-political-families-dominate-new-senate">The new Senate: Packed with Marcos allies, political families, famous names</a></li></ul><p>The former DPWH chief was included in Marcos&#x27;s Senate slate and was also endorsed by the PDP-Laban party chaired by President Rodrigo Duterte. </p><p>A member of the Nacionalista Party, Villar placed sixth in the Senate race with 19.47 million votes, based on the official figures from the National Board of Canvassers (NBOC).</p><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=2041831" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div><p>At the proclamation ceremony, the senator-elect lauded the poll body for the conduct of the May 9 polls. </p><p>&quot;Naging tahimik ang ating eleksiyon pero sumisigaw naman ang gawa at mahigit 80 percent ang bumoto,&quot; he said. </p><p>(The elections were peaceful but the Comelec&#x27;s achievements screamed, as 80 percent of registered voters cast their ballot.)</p><p>The Commission on Elections said that the 83.11 percent voter turnout in this year&#x27;s elections was one of the highest voter turnouts in history. </p><p>&quot;I look forward to working with you in this upcoming Senate,&quot; Villar said, addressing his future colleagues at the upper chamber. </p><p>His work as a senator starts at noon on June 30, 2022.</p><p>Villar, alongside reelectionists Sherwin Gatchalian and Joel Villanueva, ran advertisements worth more than P1 billion from January 2021 to January 2022, according to the Philippine Center of Investigative.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/video/news/03/24/22/big-spenders-3-senate-bets-spend-p1-b-on-ads">Big spenders: 3 Senate bets spend P1-B on ads before campaign season</a></li></ul>

Former Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar was proclaimed as a senator on Wednesday, joining his mother Sen. Cynthia Villar.