MALACAÑANG will have the last word on the fate of the ageing Rizal Memorial Sports Complex.
Philippine Sports Commission Chairman William “Butch” Ramirez said this after a ruling by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines declared.
“We received a signed letter from the director of the NHCP. But, the matter of deciding on this has not yet been finalized. It will still depend on the Office of the President,” said Ramirez.
Now that the declaration of the sports complex as a national historical landmark has been made official, the proposed sale of the pre-war sports mecca to a developer is still up in the air, according to Ramirez.
The sports chief said the PSC is not yet relinquishing its rights on the historic sports facility.
Officials of the government sports agency have not yet reached an agreement with representatives of the Manila City Hall on what to do with the aging sports facility.
According to their discussion with the DOJ, the City of Manila has ownership of the property, but since the PSC has usufructuary rights, they still have the right to negotiate.
And through a usufruct agreement, the government sports agency will get a big percentage of the money that will be earned from its sale.
The ruling of the NHCP, declaring the sports complex as a national historical landmark should have stopped any sale.
For now, the stadium, which was built back in 1934, can’t be demolished under the ruling.
