MALOLOS CITY – Unless NorthRail project is completed, development of Central Luzon, the home region of President Benigno Aquino III will remain an idle talk, officials of the Regional Development Council (RDC) said.
This is due to the fact that 22.9 percent has already been accomplished on the long delayed NorthRail project. It was envisioned to link Metro Manila and the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA) at the Clark Freeport Zone in Pampanga.
The said project is now in limbo and still to be reviewed by Secretary Mar Roxas of the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) after a review conducted by Malacanang.
But RDC officials led by its chairman, Oscar Rodriguez, mayor of the City of San Fernando, Pampanga, said they are still fighting for the implementation of the rail project. He said that it’s the last hope of Central Luzon for further economic development.
Felicito Payumo, chair of the Subic Clark Alliance Development Council (SCADC), told participants to Thursday’s meeting of the RDC in the City of San Fernando that “as long as that project (NorthRail) is not done, there is no alternate project to connect Clark (Freeport Zone) and Manila, and further development of Central Luzon will remain an idle talk.”
He said that NorthRail which was conceived in the mid-90’s was designed to ferry not only commuters, but cargoes as well, which augurs well to the planned international logistics hub in Clark.
Payumo noted that with an operational NorthRail Project, the DMIA in Clark and surrounding areas will become a magnet for investors who would locate their operations there, thus generating more employment.
However, Danny Consumido of SCADC said that as of May 31, only 22.9 percent has been accomplished on the 32-kilometer NorthRail project phase I from Caloocan City to this historic city.
This means that the project is 62.66 percent behind the 85.5 percent completion target for March 27, 2011.
Consumido said that since March 28 the contract between Sinomach Group of China and North Luzon Railways Corporation (NorthRail) has been mutually suspended, and still to be reviewed by Roxas.
Despite this dim situation, Rodriguez said that they are still fighting for the implementation and completion of the rail project saying that it’s the last hope for economic development of Central Luzon.
As chair of Central Luzon RDC, he said in a recent talk with President Aquino and Senator Franklin Drilon, he pleaded not to shut down the project.
“Sabi ko sa kanila, huwag isara yung project, kasi iyan na ang last hope ng Central Luzon,” Rodriguez said.
He added that with the completion of NorthRail, airline companies are expected to locate in Central Luzon because other infrastructure developments have been completed.
For his part, Bulacan Governor Wilhelmino Alvarado, chair of the RDC Sectoral Committee on Infrastructure Development (SCID), called the attention of SCADC and NorthRail on who shall maintain and manage the rail project facilities in Bulacan.
Alvarado cited the deterioration of steel piles constructed in Malolos saying that all are now exposed to the elements and are being eaten away by rust.
He added that galvanized iron fences in some portion of the project had been vandalized since its construction has been suspended three months ago.
