MANILA — Fired Nayong Pilipino Foundation (NPF) Chairman Patricia Ocampo was at an event which was to seal the NFP’s partnership with Landing International Development Ltd. when news of her dismissal broke out.
Apparently unable to contain her emotions, she was observed breaking into tears during the groundbreaking ceremony for the Hong Kong-based developer’s Parañaque City resort project. Speculation is rife this same project was the cause of the entire NPF board’s sacking.
At almost the same time, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque was announcing in Malacañan Palace that President Rodrigo Duterte had terminated the services of all NPF board members for embarking on a deal which he described as “grossly disadvantageous” to the government. But when asked categorically if the Chief Executive was referring to NPF’s deal with Landing International, Roque simply replied: “He did not say”.
The Palace also ordered the cancellation of the contract. “He (Duterte) said, he will have it cancelled, as [the contract is] being grossly disadvantageous to the government,” Roque added.
Despite the bad news, however, Ocampo managed to deliver her speech during the ceremonies that was supposed to mark the beginning of the NayonLanding project.
In her speech, Ocampo said the entire NPF shared the common goal of helping the Chief Executive and the country promote the culture and heritage of the Philippines. “With that in mind, we set up, the whole Board set up, coming up with a contract of putting up a new Nayong Pilipino,” she said.
“We’ve talked to similar people and present our project. But it was only the Landing Group that embraced our entire concept… An investor to our country that its whole investment decided to promote our country, and that is why our whole Board are 200 percent supporting Chairman Yang,” she added referring to Landing Group Chairman Yang Zhihui.
Ocampo and the Landing Group executives declined to give their statements after the event.
Meanwhile, the NPF’s deal with the Landing Group reportedly entails an investment of USD1.5 billion, for an integrated resort.
In a press conference earlier, Landing International Chief Operating Officer Jay Lee said NayonLanding will have the world’s largest indoor theme park that would promote the Philippines’ history, culture, and heritage.
Aside from the theme park, the project will also have waterpark; luxury hotels and resort; casino; meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions or MICE facilities; and retail as well as food and beverage outlets.
Lee said NayonLanding is expected to generate at least 10,000 direct and indirect employment for the country and adding up to three million foreign tourists once the project will be completed by 2022. (Kris Crismundo/PNA)
