The outspoken councilor, who was surprised by the jampacked gallery supporting his stand, said the city council was not consulted by CDC on the feasibility of the P7-billion mixed use facility by Singaporean firm Capilion Corp. Pte. Ltd. especially on its site, a three-hectare property with another 7-hectare proposed expansion, at the former main gate of Clark.
Sangil even produced a diagramshowing the location of Capilion which is seen to create monstrous traffic jams once it opens.
At one point, Sangil said he has nothing to do with the throng of people in the gallery and outside the building supporting his advocacy.
He clarified that Capilion is a worthy project if CDC would relocate it inside the freeport or at the much ballyhooed Clark Green City at the 9,000-hectare Clark special economic zone.
Councilor Amos Rivera supported Sangil and said the CDC failed to consult the city government on the Capilion project which would make a big impact on Angelenos once it begins.
Limited powers
“Many times the CDC was invited to the Traffic Board but they never came pauli na nitang feeling da atin lang sariling batas (because they feel they have their own law),” he said. But thecity is burdened with the social cost,” he added.
“There is no such thing as absolute right. CDC has limited powers and cannot say that it is their jurisdiction and the city government cannot do anything about it,” Rivera declared on the floor.
Rivera, chairman on the Committee on Transportation, said CDC unilaterally amended Clark’s land use plan and converted the “buffer zone” at Clark’s main gate into a commercial area.
“If we will not object to that (Capilion) there will come a time that our children will no longer be able to move in that area because of the ensuing traffic gridlock,” he noted.
“If what they (CDC) claimed is true that Capilion would create jobs for 75,000 call center agents, you can just imagine 75,000 people with vehicles in the area.
There is no amount of traffic plan that can actually solve the ensuing traffic gridlock,” he explained. “The CDC should come here, present its plans and explain. Let us listen to their proposal,” Rivera said.
He said under the provisions of the Traffic Impact Ordinance which he sponsored, the construction of any building in the city would not be allowed unless it submits its plans to the traffic board.
A sufficient basement parking should be included in the plans, he said.
Masubuk ya pu ing council ken. Masubuk ya pu ing siyudad ken. Masubuk la pu reng kapitan ken at masubuk la pu reng Angelenos ken (The council would be tested here. The city would be tested. The barangay captains and the Angelenos would also be tested here),” Rivera said.
“But if we will be steadfast. I will tell you we are strong because I honestly believe in unity there is strength,” Rivera said in din of the deafening applause from the gallery.
PGKM
Pinoy Gumising Ka Movement (PGKM) Chair Ruperto Cruz, who was also present in the gallery, took to the microphone after Vice Mayor Vicky Vega-Cabigting suspended the parliamentary rules to allow other stakeholders to speak.
Cruz expounded on the social costs of the Capilion project and explained how it can be part of the sabotage not to fully develop the Clark International Airport (CIA) to protect powerful vested interests.
Cruz came with hordes of placard carrying PGKM supporters saying “no to CDC and no to Capilion” with some remaining outside the city hall building while the council session was in progress.
Only Malabanias Barangay Captain Rey Gueco stood as the lone supporter of CDC’s Capilion project in the area. Gueco said he was invited by CDC President- CEO Arthur P. Tugade in their Board meeting where he saw the modern and state-of-theart traffic plan of Capilion in the area which falls under his barangay. He said he will not object to a project that will bring prosperity to his constituents and his village.
Attendance
Meanwhile, the CDC External Affairs Department (EAD) in a statement on Wednesday claimed that five officers and staff from the staterun firm including an assistant vice president attended the recent meeting on Integrated Transport Study called by the city government.
The EAD said in that meeting, Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan and Councilor Rivera were present. It added that “traffic, along with other issues, are being discussed by Mayor Pamintuan and Tugade in effort to move Clark, Angeles City and other areas to greater progress.”
The EAD also said “CDC would like to reiterate that a traffic management study is required of Capilion for its project.”
It added that “CDC is committed to helping LGUs around Clark including addressing traffic problem” citing one of its contributions to ease traffic is the construction of the rotunda near Clark’s main gate.
It also said in Mabalacat, the proposed East Perimeter Road will be implemented to help decongest MacArthur Highway of traffic jams.
