Following an anonymous report that the Filipino MPC is being unlawfully used as a place of worship, council inspectors visited the site to determine the validity of the complaint.
Consequently, the Filipino Multi-purpose Centre (MPC), which is now located at 50 Forge Street, Blacktown NSW has applied for the use of the building as a public hub in the city’s industrial area.
Mr. Manny Villion, chairman of the Philippine Australian Community Foundation (PACF), recently applied with Blacktown City council for approval to use the centre for public assembly. The application did not mention that the place would be used for public worship.
Villon’s letter followed an inspection of the centre’s new premises by Blacktown council on February 22, 2016 after an anonymous complaint that the centre was being unlawfully used for public worship.
PACF executive officer Cosme Purruganan accompanied the council inspectors during the visit.
A council letter to the centre after the inspection read in part: “The inspection confirmed that the building is being unlawfully used as a public assembly building. This use requires the consent of Council, which has not been obtained. As a result, we have advised the owners [that] we propose to serve an Order requiring them to cease the unauthorized use.
“Any application received will be considered on its merits and will mean that we will withhold any action on the Order until the application has been determined.
“Should no application be received, we will seek to enforce the Order and have the premises returned to its approved use as a factory unit.”
Villon said the centre has ceased its use for public worship and now awaits Blacktown council’s determination on the issue. — Jaime Pimentel