CLARK COMMITMENT. 3rd District Rep. Oscar S. Rodriguez takes the cudgel for the Clark International Airport as the country’s premier gateway to the world during a roundtable discussion with the Capampangan in Media Inc. led by Philippine Star columnist Dick Pascual and Manila Bulletin editor Jun Icban at the Bale Balita, Clark Freeport.
Photo by Bong Lacson
CLARK FREEPORT – Third district Rep. Oscar Rodriguez, fresh from the last election’s victory after serving three mayoral terms in this province’s capital City of San Fernando, has vowed to “champion” moves to have the Clark International Airport (CIA) finally transformed into the country’s premier international airport.
Or at least, levelling as twin of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in being the Philippine premier gateway.
Rodriguez made this vow before members of the Capampangans in Media, Inc. which is composed of top calibre Capampangan journalists, including editors of Metro Manila based newspapers, during a meeting at Bale Balita here last Friday.
”Yes, I can champion the cause, but I need your help,” he said. This, even as he disclosed of an “emerging, albeit informal, consensus” among congressmen Central and Northern Luzon and the Cordilleras to join in the advocacy for Clark to be premier international gateway.
“Clark, after all services all the regions north of Manila,” Rodriguez said.
In 1994, former Pres. Ramos issued Executive Order 192 declaring this former US air force base the future site of the country’s premier international airport. With no deadline for this, the premier status of the CIA has remained teetering despite studies identifying it as the best alternative to congested NAIA and, lately, is now being challenged by moves to award such status to Sangley Point in Cavite, also a former US military facility.
“We will not allow that. I really will ask that I be made a member of the House committe on transportation and I hope this would enable me to work better for our airport here at Clark,” said Rodriquez who won as the top candidate of Pres. Aquino’s Liberal Party (LP) in Pampanga in last May’s polls.
Roxas: No to Sangley
Rodriquez denied reports that former Department of Transportation and current Interior and Local Government Sec. Mar Roxas, formerly transportation and communications secretary, was backing the Sangley Point proposal.
“He once told me Sangley was not acceptable, that in no way could Sangley be our premier international airport,” he recalled.
Sangley Point was a communication and hospital facility of the US Navy at the coastal northern part of the Cavite City peninsula, about eight miles southwest of Manile. It is surrounded by Manila Bay. It was turned over to the Philippine government in 1971 and was placed under the Philippine Air Force and Philippine Navy.
The move to make Sangley the country’s premiere airport amid worsening of congestion in space-starved NAIA was triggered by the so-called “Cavite: Vision 2020,” contained in Executive Order 629 issued 2007.
The EO mandated the conversion of Sangley into an international airport and seaport. This is now being pursued since last January by a local consortium All-Asia Resources and Reclamation Corp. (ARRC) with Solar Group is the lead local partner and having German firms also as partners.
The EO also directed the Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA) to convert Sangley into such airport.
Told that PRA head Peter Anthony Abaya is the brother of Transportation and Communications Sec. Jaime Abaya and that both hail from Cavite, Rodriguez’s response was cautious but he vowed to keep track on every development related to the premier airport issue.
Rodriguez’s report that Roxas, a known close adviser to the President, did not favor Sangley as premier airport seemed to be backed by recent statements issued by Sen. Ramon “Bong” Revilla, chair of the Senate committee on public works and services and a native of Cavite where Sangley is located, lamenting lack of action from Malacanang on his appeal for Sangley’s full development.
“I have been making requests to this administration in light of EO 629 to support the conversion of Sangley Point to an international airport and container port, but no actions on my representations have been made,” he said.
Revilla, who was governor of the province of Cavite from 1998 to 2001, revealed that he had long been proposing Sangley’s conversion under “Cavite: Vision 2020” development masterplan penned by architect Jun Palafox of Palafox Associates.
‘Fatal consequences’
The Pinoy Gumising Ka Movement (PGKM), an advocacy group which has long batted for the full development of Clark as premier international airport, warned of “fatal consequences” in opting for Sangley amid the need to reclaim lands for it to accommodate more space for such an airport.
Already, small fishermen in Cavite have expressed opposition to the Sangley project, which would require the reclamation of portions of Bacoor and Cañacao Bays, as it would allegedly rob them of their livelihood and displace them and their families, numbering in the thousands.
The Koalisyon Kontra Kumbersyon ng Manila Bay estimated 26,000 families would be displaced if Malacañang approved the Sangley project.
