CLARK FREEPORT – After sacking Nayong Pilipino Foundation (NPF) officials last year, President Duterte has appointed a new trustee of the foundation who was subsequently elected its executive director.
Kapampangan Michelle Aguilar-Ong took her oath before Department of Tourism (DoT) Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat on Monday as a new trustee of the NPF which manages and operates the Nayong Pilipino Clark Cultural Theme Park (NPCTP) here among others.
After taking her oath, Ong was immediately elected executive director by the NPF Board of Trustees, reportedly as desired by the president.
On Wednesday, Ong received a warm welcome from NPF employees as well as indigenous people – Aetas and Ifugaos – at the NPCTP on her first day in office.
A statement from NPF said, “Ong was immediately in fifth gear when she entered the premises of Nayong Pilipino Clark, inspecting the tourist attractions like the katutubo village and amphitheater.”
After inspecting different sections of the NPCTP, Ong proceeded to her office at the administration building where she was interviewed by the media.
According to Ong, the goal of her administration is to revive Nayong Pilipino.
“We all know that Nayong Pilipino has been a very silent cultural agency for like a decade, so kailangan talagang ibalik siya sa forefront ng culture tourism at culture education. I think iyon ang pinaka malaking challenge sa amin ngayon, paano ibalik ang Nayong Pilipino sa pagkakaalam ng lahat ng tao sa Nayong Pilipino Pasay,” Ong said.
She also said one of her priority is to identify the problems of Nayong Pilipino and look for long-term solutions.
When Ong was asked about the Nayong Pilipino-Landing Resorts Philippines Development Corp. controversy, she maintained that NPF will abide by the opinion of the Department of Justice (DOJ).
“Nagbigay na ng opinion ang DOJ and OGCC (Office of the Government Corporate Counsel) which is the legal counsel of GOCC’s (government owned and controlled corporations) because Nayong Pilipino is a government owned and controlled corporation,” she said.
“I think we will set a meeting with them and see kung nasaan na ba ang paguusap ng Landing and OGCC or Nayong Pilipino, sa totoo talaga ngayon ko pa lang hihimayin ang mga dokumento,” she added.
Ong’s appointment papers were signed by President Duterte on January 15 and released by Malacañang three days later.
