From Pasay to Clark
1972 – President Marcos issued Presidential Decree No. 37 creating Nayong Pilipino Foundation. It has seven purposes, including “to establish parks and recreation centers for the promotion of tourism in this country. It was given a 45.9-hectare property in Pasay City where the park was built.
2002 – President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, through Executive Order No. 111, authorized the transfer of 8.6 hectares of Nayong Pilipino Foundation (NPF) property to the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) for the construction and operation of Terminal 3. The same order directed NPF to close and stop operations in Pasay pending its redevelopment.
Nayong Pilipino’s regular employees, casuals and contractuals were terminated while a skeletal team was retained.
2006 – Nayong Pilipino operated Clark Centennial Expo, which has been idle since the 1998 Philippine independence centennial.
2007 – Nayong Pilipino and Philippine Reclamation Authority swapped their respective 15 ha as directed by President Arroyo in EO 615
2011 – President Benigno Aquino III issued Executive Order No. 58 mandating the transfer of NPF’s Pasay property to the MIAA. The remaining 22.3 ha set aside for expansion of Terminal 2 and development of cargo terminal to support Terminal 3. EO 58 also ordered NPF to focus on the cultural park. —COMPILED BY TONETTE OREJAS