I AM not sure now if it was this paper’s Ding Cervantes, but a member of the local media asked President Aquino his take on Clark as the country’s premier international gateway and the requisite railway system attached to it.
This, during the celebration of the 67th anniversary of the Philippine Air Force at the Clark Freeport last Tuesday.
President BS’s soliloquy for an answer: “Iyong binigyan tayo ng concessional loan e. So may grace period, may long term payment etcetera. Tapos ang problema imbes na naibigay sa atin iyong buong period na iyon naging due and demandable at ang mapapakita lang natin diyan is — roughly, physically, mga one kilometer of columns in Malolos, Bulacan.
That’s it. That’s what we got for the hundreds of millions and I repeat dollars not pesos, okay… We’re gonna go in arbitration against the construction company and we are undergoing that process currently…”
“Iyong tren, it’s still a goal. We are still trying to realize it but it has to become feasible. Iyong tren kasi cannot just reach Caloocan, for instance, or even Bulacan. It has to reach, what they call the central business districts at minimum iyong Ortigas area or even iyong Makati area.
Without that, hindi magiging practical for our foreign tourist especially the business sector, the investors to go to Clark then take a two hour trip to the central business districts as a minimum. Parang they’d rather prefer a premium price to be paid landing in Metro Manila rather than Clark.”
Our take: President BS living up to the Tagalog saying there: “Kapag ayaw, may dahilan” affirming his total subservience to Imperial Manila’s dragons. Completely rained down, aye, storm surged, is the vow of Regional Development Council Regional Development Council Chair Bulacan Gov. Wifredo Sy-Alvarado to push for the mothballed NorthRail project. That was less than a week ago.
Ding it was that reported of Alvarado saying: “The problem is that the leadership of the Department of Transportation and Communications has always been one from south of Metro Manila. But the RDC will push hard for this. The President does not want to be perceived as playing favorites, but the fact is he is from Central Luzon.”
And confidently: “We have strategies and we know how to push it (NorthRail).” Without the benefit of any detail, though. What now, Alvarado?
Back to President BS at the PAF: “Gusto ko lang ipagdiinan lalo na sa mga kababayan natin dito sa Central Luzon at lalo na sa Pampanga, maraming mga pinasukang kontrata both here at Clark and Subic na hindi ganun kaganda.
May malawak na lupain dito in particular sa Clark na halos nakatiwangwang hanggang ngayon…” “Iyong inabutan na natin itong kontratang ito, nasa Constitution iyong inviolability of contracts.
So binubuno ng mga kaukulang mga opisyal kung paano natin mapapakinabangan itong lupain na parehong nasa Clark at nasa Subic. Pero mahabang paglilitis pa rin ang kailangang daanan dahil nga dito sa mga kontratang pinasukan na hindi kaaya-aya sa sambayanan.”
Our take: President BS in his characteristic blame outsourcing mode. Sir, nakakulong na nga po siya, sinuspindi pa sa pagtupad sa kanyang tungkulin bilang halal na kinatawan. “Open skies practically for everything except NAIA. And this is being utilized, may mga gagamit na ito ang primary hub nila for the Philippines…”
“Iyong development of a passenger terminal building for low-cost carriers or budget airlines, the study is being done.
It is scheduled to be submitted to the ICC of the NEDA by August of this year. Iyong feasibility study and business case to determine viability, undertaking operations, maintenance, expansion of the airport, being a public-private partnership, there is a study also being done. Fortunately, it will commence July 2014…”
Did we just see Clark International Airport Corp. President-CEO Victor Jose Luciano clapping most enthusiastically?
Our take: President BS offering some consuelo de bobo there. “Ngayon iyong biggest development dito is iyong proposal ng BCDA for the so-called Clark Green City. Iyong part of the plan also is the possible relocation of the Air Force contingent here to probably Subic to make room for more locators in Clark…”
“So unti-unti, sa pangunguna ni (Bases Conversion Development Authority Chairman Arnel Paciano) Casanova at mga kasamahan sa BCDA, ‘yong nangyari sa Fort Bonifacio, maging gano’n din ang Clark Green City.
But, of course, that will not be finished in two years.” But of course, President BS, that may not even happen at all.
Isinasakay mo lang kami sa tsubibo. Still dreaming of seeing Clark as the premier international gateway of the Philippines?
Dream on.
