MABALACAT, Pampanga – At least 5,000 families in this town have been spared from eviction after the national government rerouted the alignment of the delayed north rail project being built by Chinese contractors.
Mabalacat Mayor Marino Morales said the path of the proposed railway which was supposed be along the old tracks of the Philippine National Railways, has shortened to a more direct path to the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA) at the Clark Freeport.
He said some 5,000 families living along the old railways in Barangays Lakandula, San Francisco, Dau and Mabiga were spared from relocation because of this change,.
Morales said, however, they can still opt to be resettled in a site prepared for the other families still to be affected by the new railways project in Barangay Atlu Bola.
Morales added that Vice President Noli De Castro, chairman of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC), and Luzon North Railways Corp. (Northrail Corp.) president Edgardo Pamintuan agreed to the changes in the railway path to give way to the appeal of the affected families.
However, Local folk said that most of the informal settlers who have been spared from being resettled now comprise huge colonies noted for various crimes.
Still, Morales noted that relocating them “will cause undue hardships and inconvenience to our people” as he noted lack of “a well prepared alternative site” for them.
During his visit to this town last Jan. 25, De Castro admitted that the entire length of the already delayed 83-kilometer Caloocan-to-Clark north railway project will likely be finished only up to Malolos, Bulacan by the end of Pres. Arroyo’s term next year.
But De Castro stressed that the HUDCC will push through with relocating informal settlers along the old PNR tracks up to Pampanga regardless of delays in the project.
Pamintuan, who was appointed to his post in August last year, said that President had wanted the entire railway length up to Clark finished before her term ends next year.
Phase 1 of the project , costing about $503 million, extends 32.5 kilometers from Caloocan City to Malolos, Bulacan, while Phase 1, whose cost has not be fully determined, is from Malolos to Clark Freeport extending some 50 kilometers. The railway project was part of plans to fully convert the Clark airport into the country’s premiere international gateway.
The project is being done by the China National Machinery and Equipment Corp. (CNMEC) which initially abandoned the project in February last year amid controversies on additional cost and changes in project design. The Chinese contractor resumed work this month following dialogs with Northrail officials in Beijing and Manila.
Mabalacat Mayor Marino Morales said the path of the proposed railway which was supposed be along the old tracks of the Philippine National Railways, has shortened to a more direct path to the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA) at the Clark Freeport.
He said some 5,000 families living along the old railways in Barangays Lakandula, San Francisco, Dau and Mabiga were spared from relocation because of this change,.
Morales said, however, they can still opt to be resettled in a site prepared for the other families still to be affected by the new railways project in Barangay Atlu Bola.
Morales added that Vice President Noli De Castro, chairman of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC), and Luzon North Railways Corp. (Northrail Corp.) president Edgardo Pamintuan agreed to the changes in the railway path to give way to the appeal of the affected families.
However, Local folk said that most of the informal settlers who have been spared from being resettled now comprise huge colonies noted for various crimes.
Still, Morales noted that relocating them “will cause undue hardships and inconvenience to our people” as he noted lack of “a well prepared alternative site” for them.
During his visit to this town last Jan. 25, De Castro admitted that the entire length of the already delayed 83-kilometer Caloocan-to-Clark north railway project will likely be finished only up to Malolos, Bulacan by the end of Pres. Arroyo’s term next year.
But De Castro stressed that the HUDCC will push through with relocating informal settlers along the old PNR tracks up to Pampanga regardless of delays in the project.
Pamintuan, who was appointed to his post in August last year, said that President had wanted the entire railway length up to Clark finished before her term ends next year.
Phase 1 of the project , costing about $503 million, extends 32.5 kilometers from Caloocan City to Malolos, Bulacan, while Phase 1, whose cost has not be fully determined, is from Malolos to Clark Freeport extending some 50 kilometers. The railway project was part of plans to fully convert the Clark airport into the country’s premiere international gateway.
The project is being done by the China National Machinery and Equipment Corp. (CNMEC) which initially abandoned the project in February last year amid controversies on additional cost and changes in project design. The Chinese contractor resumed work this month following dialogs with Northrail officials in Beijing and Manila.
