DAVAO CITY (August 7) –— President Rodrigo Duterte today sacked the entire board members and the management of the Nayong Pilipino Foundation for leasing the property which he found to be “grossly disadvantageous” to the government.
The announcement happened while Nayong Pilipino Foundation Chairman Patricia Ocampo and executives from Hong Kong-based Landing International graced the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of $1.5-billion “NayonLanding” integrated resort-casino in Parañaque City.
Duterte issued the order during the Cabinet meeting on Monday, August 6.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque, Jr. announced in his regular Palace press briefing today said the President expressed exasperation that “Corruption continues even in his administration.”
The move came after Duterte learned that Nayong Pilipino Foundation leased the public property at the expense of government.
Nayong Pilipino is an organization which ran the theme park in Pasay.
The Nayong Pilipino Foundation was established through Presidential Decree 37 which was issued by then-President Ferdinand Marcos on November 6, 1972.
The theme park itself, besides the Manila International Airport was opened in 1970. The theme park proper covered an area of 22.3 hectares while the whole property associated with the facility measures 45.9 hectares.
The Palace learned that Nayong Pilipino board leased the government property “For a ridiculously long period of time of 70 years… [The President] considered this as a contract which was grossly disadvantageous to government,” Roque described.
The Palace official said the papers that would formally terminate the foundation’s officials would be issued in due course by the Executive Secretary.
Roque said its is the President’s way of warning all members of his Cabinet that his administration’s fight against corruption is a “continuing campaign.”-Jiann A. Padillo/NewsLine.ph
