“Of course, all Kapampangans are very grateful to President Aquino,” Pineda said after Monday’s flag raising ceremony at the Capitol grounds here when asked for her reaction on the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) approval of the fund.
She described Pampanga and Central Luzon’s future development as “100 percent attainable” with the fund for a new airport terminal.
With this development, Pineda said, local and international airlines will now make a beeline to the Clark airport.
Pineda also said the horrible traffic in Manila is a daily problem. The flooding in Manila, particularly the airport, is another.
“At talaga siguro kening pondung binye ng President Aquino baka milako pa ing problema ning Metro Manila keng traffic (And really, maybe with this fund granted by President Aquino, the traffic problem in Metro Manila might even be resolved),” she noted, with Clark as “very viable alternative.”
“Ing peka importanti keni marakal bisang lungub investors na enala dapat dumalan keng Manila international airport, keni namu keng Clark. Maragul a kaluwagan karela (What is important here is a lot of investors who want to come in would no longer have to pass through the Manila international airport, they can just come here at Clark. That’s a lot of relief for them),” she said.
Pineda recalled that during the recent Regional Development Council (RDC) meeting held in Bulacan, Budget Secretary Butch Abad, who was seated beside her, told her that another tranche of P15 billion is earmarked for the development of Clark for a total package of P30 billion before President Aquino steps down from office.
“Ing pisabi mi keng RDC Secretary Abad, aliyamu P15 billion. Ing sinabi na P30 billion ing lakwan nang pondung President Aquino para keng Clark (What we discussed in the RDC with Secretary Abad, it’s not only P15 billion. What he said was P30 billion is the total fund that President Aquino will give to Clark),” Pineda said.
On September 4, President Aquino as chair of the NEDA Board approved some P15.35 billion for a new Clark airport terminal among others.
The RDC have been pushing for the development of the Clark airport. But with the fresh funding, the airlines will now start coming in for more flights, Pineda noted.
The recent development has made Clark airport highly viable, she said. The Clark airport is premium, she added.
The governor said the provincial government will complement the development of the airport which is seen as a catalyst for development in the region.
