While a bureaucratic tangle holds up the development of a new Nayong Pilipino, the old park has been reopened.
Text by JOSEFA LABAY CAGOCO
Photos by JONATHAN L. CELLONA
For the last 35 years, Nayong Pilipino has stood as one of country's outstanding cultural symbols. It showcases the wealth and diversity of the country's cultural heritage through its parks, museums, cultural shows, its lagoon, aviary, and its famed miniature versions of famed sites in the Philippine archipelago.
Crossing a tranquil stream in the middle of the metropolis
Established in 1969, Nayong Pilipino was the first theme park of its kind in Asia and the only one in the Philippines. Over the years, neighboring countries such as China and Singapore have developed similar parks, but the originality of Nayong Pilipino remains uncontested.
For a minimal entrance fee, local and foreign tourists could see such miniature versions and replicas of Philippine sights such as the Banaue Rice Terraces, the Mayon Volcano, the Chocolate Hills of Bohol, Magellan's Cross in Cebu, and a torogan -- a Datu's house. They served as appetizers to the real thing.
In 1996, 760,000 people visited Nayong Pilipino, a record bested in 2001 when 773,000 visitors came in.
This only shows that the local community needs such a place.
"People are really looking for a place to visit at their leisure for relaxation," pointed out Charito Planas, executive director of the Nayong Pilipino Foundation.
However, the park's operation was stopped in 2002 when almost nine hectares of its 46-hectare property were converted into a parallel taxi-way and service road connecting NAIA 2 and 3. This was in compliance with International Civil Aviation Organization flight and safety standards. The nine hectares included the Tagalog, Visayas, and Mindanao attractions.
Since President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has designated the development of Nayong Pilipino as a priority project, the park will be transferring to a 15 hectare property within the Central Business Park, reclaimed land along Roxas Boulevard.
Nayong Pilipino has been ready to develop its attractions in the new property for the last two years but could not do so because two government agencies concerned have not finalized the agreement over the land.
"We have been ready to construct the new Nayong Pilipino for two years but it has been hindered by legalities," said Ms. Planas, who was behind the redevelopment of the Quezon Memorial Circle in Quezon City before joining Nayong Pilipino.
The new location is part of a 62-hectare reclaimed area owned by the Philippine Estates Authority (PEA). Until a year or so ago, the process of transferring ownership between PEA and the Department of Finance (DoF) had been ongoing. The latter was to assume certain obligations to PEA in exchange for the property. Then arrangements for the transfer of the land between the DoF and the Nayong Pilipino administration could be made.
However, the process came to a standstill late last year when the president issued Executive Order 380 which renamed the PEA as the Philippine Reclamation Authority, in effect limiting the agency's functions to reclamation projects said general manager Teodorico Taguinod.
The order also provided for the transfer of the PEA's non-reclamation assets to the DoF "without costs." The Central Business Park is being classified as part of PEA's non-reclamation assets, which the agency contests because as an agency which does not depend on appropriations from Congress, they will be gravely affected by such order.
Aside from claiming that the contested area is reclaimed land, Mr. Taguinod cited a Department of Justice opinion dated 1994 which says that the president has no power to transfer the real property of one government agency to another gratuitously, unless authorized by law since such action needs legislative authority.
PEA and DoF is currently working on their position papers, which they will submit to the office of the president. The president is expected to give her own interpretation and decision afterwards. Therefore, until the PEA and the DoF reach an agreement, the fate of Nayong Pilipino is uncertain.
REOPENING
Such uncertainty is something Ms. Planas cannot tolerate. She laments that the conflict that hinders them from going ahead with construction in the new site. For once, this is a government project that has the funds at hand -- yet it cannot push through. Even without budgetary support, she says Nayong Pilipino is able to sustain operations from "vigorous collection of past due receivables" and maintains a profit.
Trekking up 'Mayong Volcano'
"We have the funds. We have already winners of the bid contracts," said Ms. Planas. "I am already desperate. I am an action person. I want things done. I don't want things hanging. And we have the means anyway.
"Why don't they just let Nayong Pilipino stay where it is?"
The lack of productivity of the last two years prompted her to reopen the park in December.
"I decided to open what is left of Nayong Pilipino so people will not forget its existence," she reasoned.
Indeed, people have not, and probably even missed the place for, according to Ms. Planas, they have since received a steady stream of visitors.
However, only the Bicol, Ilocos, and Cordillera attractions are left. Clearing operations have to be done but for the most part, the remaining attractions are intact.
Still, Ms. Planas' great plans for Nayong Pilipino remain. She wants it to be further known as a "forest in the city," and a place where families can go to for R & R, and learn things about Philippine culture on the side.
Just like what she did with Quezon Memorial Circle, Ms. Planas has also organized seminars and lectures on livelihood to be held at Nayong Pilipino.
"We are able to give jobs. We have contributed to the employment of people. At the same time, we provide a place for people to go to."
It has also been used for wedding receptions and the like.
More than this, Ms. Planas wants Nayong Pilipino to become a cultural, historical, and tourism destination.
"Tourism hand in hand with history and culture," she declared.
She hopes that more than a place to visit, Nayong Pilipino can inspire patriotism and "awakening of ordinary Filipino heroism." In seeing our cultural heritage, she hopes that Filipinos can learn to be proud of their own country and people.
"All of us are potential heroes. Heroism is not just about dying for something. It is also about living with pride," remarked Ms. Planas.
Ms. Planas pointed out the uniqueness of the Banaue Rice Terraces and how it should be a source of pride and inspiration for all. Slaves did not build that unlike all the other world heritage sites. It is a product of bayanihan."
NEW FEATURES
Despite Nayong Pilipino's current problems, Ms. Planas remains optimistic. Besides, the plan for the new Nayong Pilipino looks promising.
"Story-telling our land" is the conceptual basis for the new park. While many of the old attractions will be retained, a lot more features will be added to enhance visitor experience. For one, the design aims to make one's visit more "experiential," said Augusto Villalon, cultural heritage planner and architect of the new site.
"I think [the experience] would be enhanced because now there is a storyline to follow. There are definite learning points. The experience will be richer," he commented.
He said that the educational component is essential to making Nayong Pilipino a more authentic repository of cultural heritage and tradition. "I thought it was just useless to go to Nayong Pilipino if it were just a pasyalan (place to take a stroll)."
Getting ready for a ride on the lake' | View larger photo
The new plan reinforces Filipino culture even more by making attractions such as old regional houses, like Vigan and Batangas houses, more genuine. "We want to get the houses and architecture as authentic as possible.
"We want to show that plants and trees change from region to region," he added.
The park will still be classified into regions. The orientation region would feature a "mobile" bahay kubo (a bahay kubo on tracks) which will depict bayanihan practices and familiarize the visitors with the park. It will also include a miniature of the whole archipelago, where children can wade in the country's seas and bays. On display in the house of costumes will be a rich variety of Philippine clothing which visitors can borrow and wear inside the park.
The cultural section will feature a sculpture park and parade grounds, where recreations of famous monuments will be located and Filipino parades enacted.
The Luzon Region will include such attractions as the Vigan houses, Ivatan houses of Batanes, the Mayon Volcano, Hundred Islands, the Banaue Rice Terraces and even lahar country.
In the Visayas area, significant houses and churches will be shown with a particular focus on agri-tourism. Not to be missed are the replicas of Boracay, the Chocolate Hills, and an underground aquarium.
A Samal fishing village, an aviary, a Philippine arboretum, trekking and hot springs will be the main attractions in the Mindanao region.
Aside from these, an amphitheater and activity center will serve as venues for cultural events and Filipino games.
The last stop will be a video screening of how visitors can help the country "improve, maintain and cherish Philippine Heritage."
All in all, the new Nayong Pilipino aims to showcase not only Philippine culture and history, but also Filipino lifestyle, stressed Mr. Villalon, "so you end up proud of being Pinoy because you experience all these things."
Now, if only it could be built