DANGER ZONE. A vehicle makes a left turn at the accident-prone area along McArthur in Mabalacat to enter the SCTEx-Mabiga spur road.
CLARK FREEPORT – Pampanga local officials and businessmen yesterday lauded the government’s turnover of the Subic-Clark-Tarlac- Expressway (SCTEx) to the group of Manny V. Pangilinan, raising hopes that its operations will improve and benefit the economy.
Mayor Marino Morales of Mabalacat, host to two interchanges of the SCTEx, said the handing of the state-owned Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) to Pangilinan’s Manila North Tollways Corp. (MNTC) will “not just make traveling seamless but spur all-important economic growth in Mabalacat, Subic, Clark and other portions of the province.”
Morales added that he will also raise “some defects” of the design of the SCTEx’s interchanges at Mabalacat Spur Road in Barangay Mabiga and Dolores Interchange at the town’s northernmost area which connects the superhighway to its portion at Tarlac province.
He said commuters travelling at Clark can exit at Dolores but they cannot use the interchange to enter SCTEx. The mayor transferred his municipal hall and other offices in Barangay Dolores in preparation to be a component city.
The South-bound commuters at McArthur Highway can enter Mabiga’s interchange, some four kilometers from Dolores, but has to make a risky turn to the left, avoiding incoming North-bound vehicles, before it can enter the SCTEx.
“It’s enough that our point has been raised to the MVP (Pangilinan). We have trust and confidence in him and we will now wait patiently,” said Morales, who wrote letters to the BCDA, formerly headed by Narciso Abaya Jr., but to no avail. He requested the re-designing of the two-interchanges.
Morales earlier forcibly stopped the construction of the Mabiga’s spur road when the private contractor tried not to build an entry-exit point in the area. He won an appeal later.
He said the spur road in Mabiga “despite its slight lapses” paved the way for the establishment of an SM Hypermarket at the area and other businesses, including at least three banks.
Janus Flores, passenger jeepney driver plying the Angeles-Mabalacat route, said “talagang dakal aksidente ken (there are really many accidents there),” pointing to the area of the Spur Road in Mabiga where he passes almost daily. He added he had seen at least two accidents last month.
The BCDA and the MNTC signed a new agreement on Friday, allowing the Pangilinan-led firm to operate and manage the SCETx for 33 years. It also relieved the BCDA of the financial burden of paying the debt to the Japan International Cooperation (JICA). The MNTC also operates the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) which connects to the SCTEx, built at the cost of P34.106 billion.
In a phone interview yesterday, Pampanga Vice Gov. Joseller “Yeng” Guiao said “it’s good thing it was given to a Kapampangan like MVP.”
He added that Pangilinan’s firms “are known to improve their services and investments.” Guiao said “roads are the catalyst for development crucial for Pampanga.”
Mabalacat Councilor Rox Pena, long-time member of the Metro Angeles Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc. (MACCII), said “it’s a beautiful thing” because of the experience of the MNTC in operating the NLEX which they applied at the SCTEx. He added that it will be convenient to motorists as there will one operator for both expressways which connects Balintawak, Quezon City to Subic, Zambales.
Pena said the MNTC could also study on how to reduce the cost of fees in passing on both expressways.
Jim Jimenez, president of the Pampanga Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc.(PamCham), said Pangilinan’s presence in Pampanga “gives truth to the saying accessibility brings progress.”
“Convergence brings progress,” he added.
Pangilinan said that “a seamless travel” benefits not just Clark locators but other traders based in the City of San Fernando.
Second District Board Member Fritzie David-Dizon, who resides in Porac where there is an SCTEx interchange, appealed to Pangilinan to light up the road connecting the SCTEx to the Porac national highway.
She also asked Pangilinan to add “big” warning signs at the portion of the SCTEx in Porac.
“So many, including some family members, almost met an accident when they are exiting from the interchange to Porac. It’s so dark and a small warning device there doesn’t advice the drivers to slow down as they approach the Porac national road,” said Dizon.
