Duterte accepts Nayong Pilipino exec’s resignation

MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte has accepted the resignation of an executive of the Nayong Pilipino Foundation (NPF) who opposed the construction of a mega vaccination site within its property in Parañaque City.

Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles confirmed that Duterte has accepted the resignation of NPF Executive Director Lucille Karen Malilong-Isberto who opposed the construction of the vaccination facility over legal and environmental concerns.

“Yes, it’s been accepted. It was a resignation that was submitted to the President and the President accepted it. It was as simple as that,” Nograles said in an interview over ANC Headstart.

However, Nograles said he did not know the details concerning Isberto’s resignation.

“I don’t know under what particular details it was accepted. So, it was just a resignation and it was accepted. But, as far as asking for an explanation or anything like that, not to my knowledge,” he added.

Mega vaccination site forthcoming

Nograles, meanwhile, said the memorandum of agreement (MOA) between the government and business tycoon Enrique Razon’s International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) Foundation, the proponent of the mega vaccination site, is now being finalized.

“That MOA is forthcoming, just a few minor technical edits being done. It’s already been vetted by the Department of Tourism (DOT), it’s been vetted by the Department of Health (DOH), it’s now going through our Government Corporate Counsel. Just a few minor edits and it will be signed very, very soon,” he said in a press statement.

He also allayed concerns that trees and wildlife would be affected by the construction of the temporary mega-vaccination site.

“When drawings were being made to identify which site ang paglalagyan ng temporary vaccination mega site, talagang sinikap nila hanapin ang pinaka-feasible area na wala namang tatamaan na mga puno (which site would house the temporary vaccination site, they made it a point to find the most feasible area that would not affect trees there),” he said.

No feud

In a separate press briefing, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque denied of any “feud” between the NPF and ICTSI over the construction of the mega vaccination site.

He reminded the NPF of its role as a government-owned and -controlled corporation (GOC) under the supervision of the Office of the President.

“Hindi po ibig sabihin na palibhasa may board sila, hindi na nila pupuwedeng ipatupad ang mga polisya ng gobyerno. Yung gagawing mega vaccination site po diyan is the exercise of police power dahil kinakailangan po itaguyod ang kalusugan ng lahat sa gitna ng pandemiya. Kinakailangan pong sumunod ang Nayong Pilipino (Just because they’re a board doesn’t mean they would not implement the policies of the government. The construction of a vaccination site is the exercise of police power because we need it to promote the health of all Filipinos in the midst of a pandemic. Nayong Pilipino must comply),” he said.

Razon earlier said he was at a “loss for words to describe” the NPF board for opposing the project over concerns that it would kill the area’s existing ecosystem.

Once constructed, the mega vaccination facility will allow for the vaccination of as many as 10,000 individuals a day.

The Philippines aims to vaccinate around 50 to 70 million Filipinos this year.