“Pasalamatan taya y PNoy pero most especially y Dino Tanjuatco kasi iya ing ikit tamung meg-lobby ken (Let us thank Pres. Aquino and most especially [Clark International Airport Corp. President-CEO] Dino Tanjuatco as we have seen how he lobbied for it,” exclaimed PGKM Chair Ruperto Cruz.
This, in the wake of reports that the National Economic and Development Authority Board headed by the President has approved the P15-billion expansion project of the CIA.
Aquino is said to have approved five new projects in transportation and energy amounting to P131.4 billion during a NEDA board meeting Friday in Malacañang.
It has been three years since the planned P1.2 billion expansion of the CIA terminal was reported, and has, from time to time, come and gone in the media, leading to PGKM’s “pessimism” over its veracity.
But with the latest developments, laudations were the order of the day, said Cruz whose group has been advocating for the “full development of the Clark airport as premier international gateway,” for over 20 years now. The PGKM also hailed Tanjuatco for “proving to the Kapampangan people that he is not one of the officials who are part of the ‘grand plan’ to sabotage the development of the CIA.”
This, even as Cruz urged CIAC and the national government to immediately implement the project, which he described as “long overdue.”
“Aquino’s term will end on June 30, 2016, so an immediate start to the implementation of the CIA project is imperative,” Cruz noted.
Full of gratitude too is Pampanga 1st District Rep. Joseller “Yeng” Guiao.
“We thank PNoy and the NEDA Board for their support and foresight in advancing the development and economic progress in our region (Central Luzon) with the approval of the construction of the new terminal that will total P13 billion when completed,” Guiao said.
Adding: “It is a testament to the effort of the community to contribute to the long term success of Pampanga, Central Luzon and the rest of Northern Luzon. One team tayo.”
For his part, Angeles City Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan called this latest development as a “milestone, a legacy left for the people of Luzon, preparing Clark for that elusive international airport and building the future now.
