ANGELES CITY -- Clark International Airport Corporation (CIAC) President Alexander Cauguiran has reiterated his mayoralty bid, saying: "I'm going home. I wanna go home where I belong. I belong to the people."
Cauguiran stressed this during the Pampanga Press Club's monthly media forum dubbed News at Hues at Park Inn by Radisson Clark, which was held last Wednesday, September 19.
The CIAC chief said he will pursue his plans "with our without" the help of his long-time political ally, Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan, who is reportedly supporting another prospective candidate in the city's mayorship.
Cauguiran admitted that he and Pamintuan had a "fall-out" recently. "I'm going home with or without EdPam."
Cauguiran said he wants to serve the rapidly-growing city by preparing it for the development in Clark Freeport and airport. He cited the social cost that may arise because of the massive development in Clark.
"At the national average birth rate of 4.75 percent/year, the city's population will be about 630,000 by 2023. With a total land area of 60.72 square kilometers, the population density then will be about 10,500 persons per square kilometer, half of the present population density of Metro Manila which is approximately 21,000 per square kilometer, but way much higher than the national average density level of 337 persons per square kilometer," Caugiran said.
He said the influx of thousands of workers to the Clark Freeport, with majority of their families settling either in Mabalacat or Angeles City, the rise in population will no longer be merely pegged on the basis of the city's birth rate.
"As soon as the rise in migration kicks in, a wide range of social issues must be addressed," he said.
According to Cauguiran, more schools, better and more efficient health services, peace and order, vehicular traffic, sanitation and protection of the environment, disaster management, provision of basic utilities, have to respond.
These are some of the problems Angles City cannot solve alone, he said.
Local government units around the Freeport and the Clark Development Corporation must sit together and address traffic congestion and peace and order, Cauguiran added.
"We need a leader who could do all these and more. A failure in leadership would lead us to the path of urban blight. That is what I fear, that is what we should all fear -- the failure of leadership," Cauguiran said.
Aside from political and administrative control over his territorial jurisdiction, a city mayor must be able to effectively and decisively use his powers, and efficiently use available resources to respond to internal and external challenges, according to him.
"In short, he must have managerial competence," he said.
Cauguiran has offered a strong managerial leadership for Angeles City.
"Throughout my adult life all of which I spent in public service I have proven my sincerity to serve our fellow Angelenos with my best, and if given the chance, I will prove the same sincerity as mayor of our beloved city," Cauguiran said.