President Rodrigo Roa Duterte has ordered the removal of the entire Nayong Pilipino Foundation board over a project which he found to be “grossly disadvantageous” to the government, Malacañang announced on Tuesday, August 7.
President Duterte issued the order during the Cabinet meeting on Monday, August 6, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque, Jr. announced in his regular Palace press briefing.
“The President started the meeting by expressing his exasperation that corruption continues even in his administration,” Roque said.
The Cabinet official said the President has specifically cited the case of Nayong Pilipino Foundation, which he claimed to have leased public property at the expense of government.
“Nayong Pilipino… leased 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,” Secretary Roque relayed.
“He therefore announced that he was sacking all members of the board and management of Nayong Pilipino,” he added.
The Palace official said the papers that would formally terminate the foundation’s officials would be issued in due course by the Executive Secretary.
He further claimed that this was the President’s way of warning all members of his Cabinet that his administration’s fight against corruption is a “continuing campaign.”
Also during the Cabinet meeting, the President announced the formation of a high-level task force that would deal with the current hostage crisis in Libya.
Secretary Roque said the task force would be headed by the Foreign Affairs Secretary and composed of Muslim members of the Cabinet, including Presidential Adviser on Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) Abdullah Mamao and Mindanao Development Authority Chair Datu Abul Khayr Alonto.
Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III will also be part of the team, Roque stated.
“The problem that complicates this latest case of kidnapping is that the kidnappers are not state agents of Libya. They are militias who are engaged in an armed conflict with the Libyan government,” the Spokesperson noted.
“And that is why it was deemed more prudent to work with the Libyan government to see what the demands are,” he added.
Roque said the high-level team would be tasked to consult with the Libyan government and help in the efforts to come to the aid of the Filipinos who were kidnapped in the North African country.
‘Palace welcomes WTO report on PH exports’
During the same press briefing, Malacañang welcomed the latest annual World Trade Statistical Review of the World Trade Organization (WTO), stating that the Philippines ranked third among all exporters of manufacturing services.
According to the report, the country exported $2.767 billion worth of manufacturing services on physical inputs in 2017, which is higher compared to 2016’s $2.725 billion.
“Meanwhile, exports from other commercial services reached a total amount of $23.5 billion, placing the country to 13th spot,” Roque stated.
Furthermore, the country also placed 44th in merchandise exports with $63 billion and 33rd in commercial services exports with $36 billion worth of exports, Roque said citing the same report. (PCO-Content)
