Monday, November 05, 2007 Interchange ‘battle’ resumes on Tuesday By Albert B. Lacanlale
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- Talks on proposed interchanges along the Pampanga stretch of Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEx) will resume Tuesday as the Presidential Management Staff (PMS) is expected to release the results of its independent study on the three proposals.
After taking a brief hiatus from journalists as proponents of the three requested interchanges wait for the PMS report, battle among the proposed interchanges of the Advocacy for the Development of Central Luzon (ADCL), Pampanga first district Representative Carmelo Lazatin and Senator Manuel “Lito” Lapid is expected to take the limelight once again starting Tuesday.
A meeting to discuss the pros and cons of the proposed interchanges in Barangay Anunas and Barangay Manuali in Angeles City and in Hacienda Dolores, Porac had been held in October and was rescheduled on Tuesday pending the PMS reports.
The first meeting was attended by PMS chief Cerge Remonde; Presidential adviser for Central Luzon Relly Fajardo; Subic-Clark Area Development Council (SCADC) chairman Edgardo Pamintuan; Pampanga Governor Eddie Panlilio; Clark Development Corporation (CDC) president Levy Laus; Lazatin; Pampanga Representatives Juan Miguel “Mikey” Arroyo, Aurelio Gonzales and Anna York Bondoc; Mayors Oscar Rodriguez, Teddy Tumang and Edgar Flores; and officials of the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) led by Narciso Abaya.
During the initial talks, the BCDA and SCADC discussed the perceived viabilities of the three proposals, including construction and operation cost estimates and design feasibility.
Remonde said in the October meeting that the PMS will wrap up its studies on the proposals within two weeks after the meeting but Tuesday’s schedule was agreed upon in deference to the availability of Arroyo.
Arroyo had been out of the country and is expected to arrive on Tuesday to attend the meeting.
The Presidential son, during the first meeting, asked the proponents to work together and ask the National Government to construct the three proposed interchanges, if possible.
Before leaving the country, Arroyo requested the proponents of the three proposed interchanges to stop bickering through the media and just wait for the PMS report.
