CLARK FREEPORT – The Pampanga Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (PamCham) has reiterated its call for local government units (LGUs) to prepare for the influx of businesses in the province.
“Many investments are going to Pampanga and we are happy. But we fear that the LGUs are not preparing for the influx of businesses here that is why the chamber is writing and urging the LGUs to prepare for the eventuality of more investments coming in,” PamCham president Engr. Jesus “Jess” Nicdao said.
“We had also discussed this in our meeting with Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (SGMA) and Gov. Lilia G. Pineda that is why a study was made by renowned master planner Architect Felino Palafox, Jr.,” Nicdao told members of the Capampangan in Media, Inc. (CAMI) during its regular media forum organized in cooperation with the Clark Development Corp. (CDC) last Friday at the Bale Balita here.
This master plan was the Pampanga Megalopolis which was initially valued at P25 million but SGMA was able to lower it at P11 million through San Miguel’s Ramon Ang, Nicdao said.
“The study will show you the potential growth areas in Pampanga and what is the needed businesses in these parts of the province,” he added.
“For example in Masantol, Macabebe, Minalin and other areas in the fourth district, we need agricultural and aqua culture and the second district needs to put up an industrial site sanctioned and registered by the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) to bring in factories there as well as call centers,” Nicdao said.
“The City of San Fernando (CSF) and Mabalacat have no problems but other areas might also be good for agriculture,” he pointed out.
Nicdao said the problems with LGUs is mostly “strategic” because every time the mayor is changed, the agenda becomes different.
“There is no continuity, there is no strategic planning,” he lamented.
“We hope the LGUs will have the proper fundamentals to continue with the good plans,” he said.
Nicdao cited as an example the worsening traffic condition.
“We have to prepare by not only expanding our roads but also identifying alternate routes and developing them,” he said.
Along this line, the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) has started removing the electric towers along Jose Abad Santos Avenue (JASA), a major thoroughfare, because of our advocacy, he said.
“After MacArthur Highway, the electric towers will no longer pass along JASA,” he said.
“They will be migrated farther to the north,” he added.
The NLEX in Sta Rita and until CSF has also been widened because we insisted on it and through the help Pam-Cham president emeritus Levy P. Laus who is now a member of the board of NLEX, Nicdao said.
But there is a corresponding toll rate adjustment by the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) but the whole stretch will be eventually lighted,” he said.
What we want is a seamless travel from NLEX, SCTEX and TIPLEX which can be done by toll booth credit/debit system. This is now being studied, he said.
Among the other infrastructure development pushed by PamCham and now completed are the widened bridge over NLEX in the CSF which now has four lanes on both sides and traffic lights on both ends because the UP study says that “we are not ready for the rotunda ethics,” Nicdao said.
It also now has a walkway for pedestrians, he added.
Crime rate as well as peace and order are also important, he said.
Sadly, the drug menace in Angeles City has been cited by Philippine National Police (PNP) Director General Oscar D. Albayalde as “one of the five hot beds of drugs,” Nicdao said.
“We in the private sector encourage more business for Pampanga to come but we must have security,” he said.
“Investments are really coming. We are the only province with four SM Malls. Cebu is only putting up its fourth SM mall this year,” he said.
But compare Pampanga to Cebu, “we are nothing in terms of area, population and industries. We are far behind,” Nicdao said.
Nicdao said LGUs should have a five to 10-year strategic planning in keeping up with the growth of our communities.
