MAKATI CITY -- Business tycoon Manuel Pangilinan disclosed on Tuesday his main targets in infrastructure developments and stressed that the country will "only" attain tremendous economic growth if the roads, airports, railways, seaports and other related projects are fully developed.
"My heart is for this country," added Pangilinan to stress that his companies' mission is to help the country move forward and sustain growth in many sectors by providing more jobs and business opportunities to some 100 million Filipinos, especially those living outside the National Capital Region (NCR).
In a press conference for provincial-based journalists shortly after the Philippine Long Distance Telephone (PLDT) Co. Stockholders meeting at the Makati Shangri-La Manila here, Pangilinan said his companies led by Metro Pacific Investments Corporation (MPIC) will invest on regional airports, including the Clark International Airport (CIA) in Pampanga, railway systems in North, Central and South Luzon; and the P2.27-billion Light Rail Transit (LRT) Line 2, which will cover areas in Pasig City, Antipolo City and nearby areas in Rizal province.
He made the announcement a day after the government formally awarded to the Pangilinan-led MPIC the contract to build the 66.72 billion Cavite Laguna Expressway (Calax).
Pangilinan expressed his intention to invest at the airports in the cities of Bacolod, Tagbilaran, Cagayan De Oro and Iloilo.
He is also planning to pour in billions for the planned construction of a railway system in Luzon that will link Metro Manila to the provinces of Pampanga and Bulacan in the north and to Albay, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur and other provinces in the south.
Pangilinan, a native of Apalit town in Pampanga, said they remained open to investing at the CIA – where there are at least 877,000 passengers in 2014 – but the national government has yet to give specific plans on its developments. He earlier expressed his support to help develop the CIA as the "other premiere international airport of the country" complementing the operations of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).
Pangilinan earlier expressed his frustration over the congestion and delays of flights at the four terminals of the NAIA. He is also open to the use of the North Luzon Expressway (NLEx) for the high-speed train linking the CIA to the Metro Manila area, including the NAIA. (Joey Pavia/Contributor)