I HAVE been a writer for over two decades now starting with snippets of events on any available piece of paper to my regular column at Pampanga Newsweek under Abner San Pedro and then at SunStar Pampanga (SunStar Clark before) with editors-in-chief Narciso "Jun" Sula and later Jose Victor "Jovi" de Leon.
Here at Sun Star Pampanga, I've written several topics, different angles of events transpiring and various personalities and institutions like the Mabalacat City College where I encountered difficulties due to dearth of facts and data.
I ran smack into the likes of Mabalacat City Mayor Crisostomo C. Garbo and Atty. Emmanuel E. Ignacio whose accounts I've written about have caused stress to SunStar Pampanga's OIC Billy San Juan and EIC Jovi de Leon. Those issues are, thankfully, now water under the bridge.
Periodically, I wrote about former GM Engr. Reynaldo Liwanag of Angeles City Water District-Prime Water, who was gracious during our regular lunch dates together with retired photojournalist Lino D. Sanchez, Jr.
I have been checked (and corrected) and rebuffed several times by my EIC regarding my column title and content, curtly telling me to avoid being sued for libel and cyber libel. At times, my short temper gets the better of me. Sometimes, I am impulsive, but for the rest of my lucid intervals, I write tamely.
I have had friends as well as critics and adversaries. I cannot be faulted for my close association with former mayor Boking Morales but he is the only person along with my brother Perry who gave me recognition and genuine concern especially when I suffered mild strokes in 2014 and 2015.
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Finally, the Clark Development Corporation (CDC) and Premiere Clark Complex Inc., (PCCI), a subsidiary of SM Prime Holdings have broken ground for the construction of a P2 billion intermodal transportation terminal inside the Clark Freeport Zone.
This terminal is expected to generate some 1,000 direct employment opportunities and about 800 job vacancies during the period of construction which may last for five years.
When completed, there will be order and efficiency for public transport which provides for different bays (waiting area) for public utility jeepneys, buses, service shuttles, taxis and other modes of land transportation.
It is a good project, this, and I hope other areas will introduce similar projects like it to improve their respective terminal facilities for the convenience of passengers/commuters.