As the campaign closes, I declare my vote for Manny Villar. Allow me to share why:

1. Villar wants to finally realize Senate representation for workers, farmers, urban poor and the middle classes. Proof: He bravely invited Satur Ocampo and Liza Maza to join the Nacionalista Party senatorial slate. In doing so, he put himself above the rest, who are averse to the idea that the Left should have a place in Philippine politics.

2. Villar led the Senate in investigating some of Arroyo’s major political crimes against our people. Under his watch as Senate president, he used his powers to investigate the rotten ZTE-NBN deal, among others.

3. Villar first assumed in 2000 the role of statesman when he surprised the nation by transmitting to the Senate the impeachment case against then-President Joseph Estrada.

4. Villar has a plan to confront the many challenges that face the country — from corruption to the economy, from domestic affairs to foreign affairs.

5. Villar is a self-made man. Setting aside the unproven and politically-motivated charges from his political opponents, his life story is a positive example for Filipinos, especially young people who could soon discover genetics should not be a stumbling block to getting elected president of the Philippines.

6. Villar presents the slightest political risk, corruption-wise. While Villar has owned up being the sole financier of his own campaign, all the other candidates pretending to be champions of good governance have not been honest in disclosing the sources of their campaign funds.

7. Villar’s opponents have either questionable, thin or sullied political records: A certified AmBoy and clone of President Arroyo, another certified AmBoy with a short fuse, a scion of a political family with little political record to show and a convicted plunderer, among others.

Thus, Villar for president.

(I’m also voting for Satur Ocampo and Liza Maza for senator, and Kabataan for partylist.)