Pampanga 1st District Rep. Joseller Guiao said that like the P1.2-billion terminal project, the railways that would finally link Clark to the National Capital Region was already approved by the board of the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA).
“It’s in the planning stage but will be implemented for sure because of the Clark Green City,” Guiao told members of the Capampangans in Media, Inc.
The Clark Green City, located north of this freeport in Capas, Tarlac is a centerpiece project of the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) that would duplicate The Fort in Taguig City, but on a “greener” scale.
Guiao also said “we met with Clark Development Corp. (CDC) President (Arthur) Tugade on the project of the BCDA for another railway between Clark and Subic.”
“This will be easier (to accomplish) since all the lands (to be traversed by the railway) are owned by the BCDA,” he noted.
Meanwhile, Guiaonoted that the initial plan of the the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) was to build a railway only from Tutuban to Malolos, Bulacan and continue the project up to Clark in 2030 yet.
He said this was unacceptable to Central and Northern Luzon folk as it countered the immediate full development of the Clark airport.
Because of this, the BCDA would now fund the rest of the railway system from Malolos to Clark, with the DOTC shouldering the cost of the project between Manila and Malolos.
Guiao, however, said cost of the two railway projects still has to be determined.
At the same time, Guiao called on Central and Northern Luzon folk to keep watch on Clark’s new terminal project that would cost P15 billion when finished by 2022.
He said that the initial P1.2 billion included in the 2015 budget for the first phase of the terminal would be followed by another P2 billion in next year’s budget.
Guiao said that the entire terminal project costing P15 billion needed only one board approval by the NEDA board, obligating the government to provide the funds over the years until project completion.
“We must be vigilant so that the fund allocation each year is spent for the terminal. It can happen that the budget is now spent and thus would go back to the government as some kind of pork barrel funds. We must be wary of this,” he warned.
