UNFINISHED like those “monuments” of shame on the boundary of Porac-Angeles intersection. Work is never done, or shall we say, abandoned. How come? Motorists observed lately that certain sections of the main road M.A Roxas inside the Clark Freeport remained unfinished. Particularly mentioned are the sections fronting Mimosa and those near Widus casino. These spots are too dangerous for motorists especially during the evenings. What about those buildings diametrically opposite SM mall? I am just wondering when those infrastructures, which were started eight years ago, will see completion. Another question. How many years Clark Development Corporation gave as grace period for none payment of lease? What year when it was benchmarked.
May we know in the interest of transparency how much per square per month is rental rate?
There’s an interesting story about those buildings. This story is unverified though. Earlier, that portion of the freeport according to the master plan is among the areas that cannot be leased. It was classified as a buffer zone. I should know because when I was still a member of the board of directors of the Clark Development Corporation I manifested that. Somehow a company from Singapore not comparable in resources like Temasek was able to lease that portion during the administration of Department of Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade as CDC president. One local contractor bought the soil which was result of the years of digging. (The proceeds of that purchase should accrue to CDC). He suggested to me that one purpose of the digging was that the proponents were allegedly on gold hunting. As a background, when world war 2 broke out in 1941 the Japanese used then Clark Air Force Base as their main headquarter all throughout the war until their surrender in 1945. Even General Tomoyuki Yamashita stayed here before his capture by American troops in the north.
Another big ticket item of a project being prosecuted by the Department of Transportation under the care of Secretary Tugade is the railroad. Oh yes, the railroad. What about the railroad? What happened in the last five years since it was started by Department of Transportation? First, read this. I have been saying all along that even poor countries like Bangladesh have railway systems. Us none. There was before but presidents after presidents kept “dropping” the ball. The Bicolanos had the Bicol express. The seniors will remember. From Tutuban in Manila people can take the train up to Damortis in La Union. It made several stops. In Malolos, San Fernando and then in Angeles. And from Angeles, my parents and me in tow will take us to its last stop in Damortis. From there a Baguio Auto Lines (BAL) bus will snake into the Kennon road.
Mobility, seamless travels and road networks including a railway system are effective drivers of progress. Mobility in this country is far from being achieved. Consequently, progress is still turtle pace. Despite Tugade’s boast and breast beating. The Duterte “Build, Build Build” program maybe a relief in sight but it’s still suffering from so many delays.
How long ago when Tugade ordered the fast tracking of the ongoing construction of the PNR Clark Phase 1 that will connect Metro Manila. This particular segment by Tugade own’s admission is not even fifty percent complete. I tried seeking an interview with Acciona, the contractor of the railway project but they are making themselves scarce. Let’s wait for the next president and see what he can do.