Senator Panfilo Lacson on May 10, 2021. Photo by Noy Morcoso
MANILA, Philippines — What’s more important, ipil-ipil trees, or the lives of Filipinos?
This was the question posed by Senator Panfilo Lacson to Nayong Pilipino Foundation (NPF), which opposed the plan to construct a mega vaccination site on its property.
“Ano bang mas importante — ipil-ipil o yung buhay ng Pilipino? [What’s more important, ipil-ipil trees or the lives of the Filipinos? That’s a no brainer,” Lacson said in an interview over ABS-CBN News Channel when asked about the issue involving the NPF.
The NPF is a government-owned and controlled corporation attached to the Department of Tourism.
The NPF opposed the mega vaccine site project as it would require cutting off nearly 500 trees, killing the existing ecosystem in its property in the Entertainment City, the reclaimed area in Parañaque City known for its casinos.
Malacañang, however, said the NPF should not hinder the government’s mission to protect people’s lives.
Billionaire Enrique Razon Jr., whose charitable foundation offered to build the vaccination facility, also slammed NPF for opposing the project.
Razon likewise lashed at NPF for opposing the project, saying that its management was putting more premium on ipil-ipil trees freely growing at the site, rather than on the health of millions of Filipinos who would be inoculated at the proposed site.
“Here’s a private company, a business [offering help]. Remember, he’s losing a lot because ang employees niya rin apektado rin,” Lacson pointed out. “He might as well invest to protect employees and to open up the economy once again para rin ‘yong kanyang business mag-flourish.”
NPF executive director Lucille Karen Malilong-Isberto has recently resigned from her post following a dispute with Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat, who supported the construction of the vaccination facility on the 9.5-hectare property, which also currently hosts a COVID-19 quarantine facility operated by the Armed Forces of the Philippines.