Speaking during a short program at the south end of the road near SM City Clark prior to the ribbon-cutting rites, Tugade, also former president and CEO of the Clark Development Corp. (CDC), exploded with expletive calling out his critics’ “misplaced insults and accusations that cannot be fathomed.”
“Pwedi ho ba, tao rin ho ako na maaaring masaktan sa alipustang wala sa lugar at akusasyon na dapat hindi man lang pinag-iisipan, sasabihin ko ‘Putang ina!’ tao rin ako (May I say that I am also human that can get hurt with misplaced insults and accusations that should not even be pondered, I am saying ‘son of a bitch’! I am also human),” Tugade hollered.
Tugade also challenged his critics to show proof of their contribution to the development of Pampanga and even Clark.
“Marahil yung pagmamahal at pagpapakita ng pagmamahal magkaiba ho pero tatanungin ko kayo sa mga pumapansin at bumabatikos makinig kayong mabuti: Ano naman ho kaya ang nagawa niyo para sa Pampanga? Ano naman ho kaya ang sinakripisyo niyo para sa Clark development zone (Maybe the love and the manifestation of love are diff erent but may I ask those who criticize and rant against me to listen carefully: What have you done for Pampanga? What have you sacrifi ced for Clark development zone)?” Tugade said.
“Anong puhunan natin? Mag-isip ho tayo. Ako ho tutulong sa Pampanga hanggang sa aking makakaya yung mga bagay bagay na gusto komg gawin na hindi nagawa noon gagawin ko ngayon ako ay nakaupo kaya yung tren bagama’t may mga agama agam at duda, gagawin po namin yan (What is our capital? Let’s think about it. I will help Pampanga to the best of my abilities. The things that I wanted to do then that were not done, I will do them now that I am sitting in my in position that is why the train, even though there were doubts, will be done),” Tugade assured.
“Kung wala akong damdamin inaalok sa Pampanga bakit ako magpapakahirap ng ganyan (If I don’t have feelings for Pampanga why will I sacrifi ce so much)?” he asked.
I love Pampanga
“I just want to see that there is change in Pampanga. Please don’t even, even dare doubt of the great love that I have developed for Pampanga,” he added.
“I said it before and I am saying it again now. It is my dream that there will be a train that will be connecting Subic and Clark. For three years, I have been shouting this which nearly used up my voice and I assure you that this is one of the things that the administration of President Duterte will do because I believe that Pampanga is the Pearl of Central Luzon,” Tugade declared.
“This is the dream of (Angeles City) Mayor Ed Pamintuan and also all the mayors here to provide livelihood and business to our people by creating a northern corridor,” he said.
“Kahit hindi ako taga- Pampanga magsama sama tayo para isulong ang progreso na nararapat sa Pampanga. Huwag mong bahiran ng duda o alipusta (Even if I am not from Pampanga let us work together to push the progress that is due to Pampanga. Don’t put doubt or insult to it),” said Tugade.
“Sana ho ngayong araw na ito sa aking pagpunta rito upang batiin ang aking mga kasamahan sa CDC, yung mga mamumuhunan, yung mga pamunuhan ng LGU, sana ho ang ating pagkakaibigan ay manatili o kung darating ang panahon na pinagdarasal ko na hindi mangyari na tayo ay magkakahiwalay ng landas dahil sa guhit ng pulitika… Pangako ang pagmamahal ko sa Clark development zone, pangako ang pagmamahal ko sa Pampanga ay manatiling nandidyan (I hope that this day of my visit here to greet my colleagues at CDC, to the investors, to the heads of the LGUs, I hope our friendship will remain or if there will come a time that I pray won’t happen that we will be separated due to the course brought by politics…I promise that my love for the Clark development zone, I promise that my love for Pampanga will always remain),” Tugade said as he ended his speech.
Among those present were Mabalacat City Mayor Marino “Boking” Morales, Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Jon Feliciano, Mabalacat Councilor Geld Aquino, Pamintuan, CDC executives led by its president Noel F. Manankil, members of the Clark Investors and Locators Association, local businessmen as well as members of the Armed Forces and the police.
