Senator Nancy Binay is pressing for a review of a P1.5-billion public-private partnership (PPP) project to build a cultural theme park at the Nayong Pilipino.
The senator wants the Department of Tourism (DOT) to review the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda)-approved project billed as “original and the very first PPP [public-private partnership] model” for a cultural theme park.
“That was a P1.5-billion tourism-oriented project under PPP which was in line with Nayong Pilipino Foundation’s [NPF] mandated purpose to showcase Filipino culture, and explore alternate sources of income,” the senator noted.
Citing that “given their fiscal situation now,” Binay said, “I would side with COA’s opinion that Nayong Pilipino needs to come up with alternative revenue sources for its operations, kasi kung walang konkretong plano o proyekto para magkaroon ng income, at walang movement para maging sustainable ang operations ng NPF, paniguradong masisimot kung anumang pondo ang meron sila.”
“Again,” the senator suggested, “DOT can also look into NPF’s financial and sales projections in the next 5 to 10 years. Tingnan din ng DOT ang ibang activities that crossline the department’s programs, o yung mga corporate function that somehow duplicate what other agencies are already doing.”
Binay asserted that “more than anything else, with income coming from several pieces of prime assets that they own and lease out—including the 15-hectare property they own in Bay City/Aseana which awaits to be developed—the NPF is supposedly a self-sustaining GOCC [government owned and controlled corporation].”
“It is really up to them as to how they can maximize their property to be of highest and best use,” the senator said, reminding, “The NPF needs to think out of the box to generate a decent income but the first step is not getting out of the box. The most important first step for NPF is to think.”
