This is a never-ending question often asked by many people, especially those who have donated money, volunteered their precious time, and bought tickets for intermittent projects supposedly intended for the completion of the infamous Filipino Multi-Purpose Centre (MPC).
By the way, for the benefit of those who are not yet aware of it, the brilliant directors of the Philippine-Australian Community Foundation, Inc. (PACF) have changed the name of MPC to Philippine – Australian Cultural Centre (PACC).
After selling the former property in Rooty Hill at a give-away price of $750,000 (less agent’s commission), they have relocated to far-away Schofields. The new land which measures 5.5 acres is located at 80 Grange Avenue, Schofields NSW 2762, (as shown above). It was bought at a whopping cost of $1,150,000, again placing them in the red for the difference in sale and purchase value of the two properties.
So what’s happening at the MPC?
Well, they came out with their own version of a Newsletter several months ago, (in March 2009) in a dire attempt at transparency. It was more of a whitewash really, to cover what has not been accomplished during the past 20 years that the members of the board have been clinging to their posts. So far, there has been no second edition for either lack of funds or because there is nothing to report. There seems to be donor fatigue on the part of Ric & Emma de Vera of Revesby Press who sponsored the printing of the fist issue of the MPC newsletter.
According to the newsletter, the board of PACF was supposed to have met last 18 April 2009. No one has heard anything about it for the simple reason that the board has not made any public disclosure of what took place, what matters have been discussed and what visible improvements on the property have been made, if any.
Who’s paying the periodic amortization on the new loan?
Because of their inability to solicit more funds from previous donors, plus the unwillingness of the Filipino community in general to donate more money into the unfinished project, it appears that a member of the PACF board is digging deep into his own pocket to service the loan. We have made at least two attempts to establish contact with PACF but no one was willing to make any comment.
Again, we ask, what’s happening at the MPC? The answer is quite simple and short: Nothing! About the new name of PACC, it will be amusing to hear them pronounce the letter “P” in PACC, since many of the directors come from regional Pampanga or is it “Famfanga?”