Saturday, September 08, 2007 Arroyo lauded for construction of Porac-Angeles interchange By Dante M. Fabian
THE Angeles City Council expressed unanimous appreciation to the order of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to construct an interchange for Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX) at the boundary of Angeles City and Porac town.
The City Council, headed by Vice Mayor Vicky Vega Cabigting, also hailed both the interchange and the private sector group Advocacy for the Development of Central Luzon (ADCL) for its efforts in urging the President to effect the construction of the interchange.
It also expressed agreement to the option of the Porac-Angeles interchange in Barangay Manwali, Porac after a visual presentation of the project by ADCL convenor Renato Abong Tayag and Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) officials during the council session on Tuesday.
Tayag explained during the presentation that the P272 million structure approved by the President will provide access to Angeles City, Porac town and other nearby localities in Pampanga.
Reacting to the appeal of Pampanga Vice Governor Joseller Guiao, Arroyo ordered BCDA and DPWH officials to construct the Porac-Angeles interchange proposed by the ADCL chaired by businessman Rene Romero.
Arroyo issued her verbal instructions to BCDA and DPWH officials on the night before she led the groundbreaking for the Texas Instruments facility in Clark Freeport on July 16, 2007.
The interchange was proposed and planned based on the site inspections done by Tayag, Romero and other business leaders in the province who wanted the most cost efficient and practical interchange to benefit the city of Angeles and Porac along with other towns.
SCTEx is funded under the loan obtained by the government from the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC).
Guiao said the interchange would already cater to Porac and Angeles City, Guagua, Bacolor, Mexico, and the City of San Fernando.
Romero, who has bankrolled the research and planning for the interchange, earlier said the project will certainly serve a wide area in Pampanga.
