A TOP official in Capas, Tarlac said the construction of the New Clark City (NCC) has given their town a new identity.
Capas Mayor Reynaldo Catacutan said the NCC has changed his town's identity from being a "dead spot" to a modern city.
In 1942, Catacutan said his town has been known as the culmination point of the Death March where American and Filipino soldiers were forced to a 60 kilometer march from Bataan province to Capas town.
In 1991, Catacutan said Capas has been known to have suffered tremendous destruction and deaths during the Mount Pinatubo eruption.
Later on, Capas remained a "dead spot" because mobile phone signal there was weak to none.
"But now, Capas will be known in the Philippines and in South East Asia (SEA) as the host municipality of the SEA Games, and possibly, the next capital of Central Luzon," Catacutan said during a recent press conference at the NCC.
Catacutan thanked President Rodrigo Duterte for his trust in choosing Capas as the NCC's site.
The mayor also thanked Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) President and Chief Executive Officer Vivencio Dizon saying, "Because of him, our town suddenly became lively and more beautiful."
Last week, sports facilities for the SEA Games were tested by national athletes who participated in the 1st National Open Swimming Championships and the 2019 Philippines Athletics Track and Field Association (PATAFA) Weekly Relay Series.
According to Dizon, these sports facilities meet the standards of international governing bodies, the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) and the Federation Internationale de Natation (FINA).