(Governor Lilia G. Pineda calls on Pampanga provincial and municipal officials, Clark locators and CDC executives for further cooperation in employing local residents in Clark Freeport. Also in photo are Mabalacat City Mayor Cris Garbo (left) and CDC President Noel F. Manankil (right). During the forum, Pineda has also secured the commitment of Mabalacat Mayor to provide service vehicles for Pampanga towns. Photo by Noel G. Tulabut)
Clark Freeport — Pampanga towns will soon have additional service vehicles courtesy of a new and unexpected donor.
The “nanay” that she always is, Gov Lilia Pineda has urged her apparent “eldest son” in Mabalacat City Mayor Cris Garbo to provide a vehicle each to the 21 municipalities of Pampanga. They will be primarily used for rescue operations during emergency situations and disaster operations.
“Alam nyo po ba magkano ang nakukuha ng Mabalacat sa Clark ngayon? Aabot po ng P800 million. Kaya ang pakiusap ko po kay Mayor Garbo ay tumulong siya sa ibang bayan,” Pineda said in her speech.
The “eldest” in terms of budget now, Garbo was asked by outgoing governor to provide the vehicles from the P800 million windfall Mabalacat City is getting this year in the Gross Income Earned (GIE) shares from Clark locators. Pampanga’s third and newest city now has about P2billion annual budget.
In an employment forum Friday with Capitol officials, Pampanga mayors, provincial board members, Clark Development Corp (CDC) officials and Clark locators at Royce Hotel here, Garbo readily agreed to the request. The forum was called by Pineda to foster cooperation among CDC, LGUs and Clark locators.
“We have the funds and we will be glad to help out,” Garbo said in an interview.
The original plan was for Mabalacat to sponsor purchase of five ambulances. This was expanded to cover all Pampanga towns with service or rescue vehicles.
Mabalacat City, owing to its territorial jurisdiction over most parts of the Clark Freeport, is the recipient of the lion’s share of the 5 percent GIE being levied on locators and investors in lieu of national and local taxes.
Garbo said that majority of GIE proceeds went to medical and hospitalization program of residents, providing even free MRI, CT Scans and other major diagnostics and surgical operations of Mabalacat residents.
It has received a total of P682 million last year which were also utilized in various expenditures including the operations of Mabalacat City College.
For his part, CDC President Noel Manankil said that the GIE of Mabalacat has been “utilized well” noting how the assistance went to various undertakings of the
