The Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) denounced the reported nearly ₱1 trillion earnings of the Villar family’s Golden MV Holdings, cited as the reason for the near-tripling of Manny Villar’s wealth from $6.2 billion in 2024 to $17.2 billion this year. The massive surge in the Villar family’s wealth was reported in the list of global billionaires released by Forbes magazine on April 2. Forbes has listed Villar as the wealthiest Filipino since 2019. Globally, he ranks as the 117th richest person on the list led by Elon Musk.

In March, Golden MV Holdings’ reported earnings reached ₱999.72 billion, primarily due to a ₱1.33-trillion increase in the valuation of its real estate assets. This occurred amid a 26% or ₱3.31 billion decrease in the actual value of land sold. Thus, speculative valuation, alongside land grabbing for real estate projects, primarily drove Villar’s wealth surge.

“Golden MV’s earnings do not come from actual productive economic activity but from manipulating land values. This system further impoverishes poor Filipinos, especially farmers and workers,” KMP chairperson Danilo Ramos stated.

The Villar family has long been notorious for land grabbing and evictions, particularly of agricultural land for their housing projects, at the expense of millions of small farmers.

One of the latest cases involves the land grabbing and eviction of the Saul family from their homes in Pavia, Iloilo last year. The land was seized through Communities Iloilo Inc, a subsidiary of Vista Land & Lifescapes Inc of the Villar family. Pavia and many areas in Iloilo are riddled with the Villar family’s housing projects.

The KMP also emphasized the expansion of the Villar family’s business and its concurrent expansion of political power. Manny’s daughter Camille is currently running for senator, replacing her mother whose Senate term is ending. Another son, Mark Villar, holds a Senate seat until 2028.