CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- Pampanga First District Representative Joseller “Yeng” Guiao said lawmakers and other interested parties will monitor the progress of the P15-billion Clark International Airport project.
“This is a big development for Clark airport so it has to be closely monitored because it is backed up by money and Neda (National Economic and Development Authority) approval. There is an allocation of P1.2 billion this year and another P2 billion for 2016. We must make sure that commitments are met because in the past, there were attempts to slash those budgets,” he said.
Guiao told Sun.Star Pampanga that stakeholders must do their roles in ensuring the further development of Clark airport.
“Let us do our roles as stakeholders. With such a development, it is vital that the Clark project should not be affected by politics or any other constraints. It must be continuous. In fact, Clark airport, among other airports in the country with the exception of NAIA [Ninoy Aquino International Airport], got the biggest budget. We must see to it that the commitment is really bound,” he said.
Guiao added President Benigno Aquino III's approval of the expansion project sends a signal to businessmen, politicians, airlines and multinational companies on the direction Clark airport is taking.
“Clark will definitely now become a true growth area in Luzon. We have been pushing for this, lobbying for it, to the point that it has become my personal and political advocacy. It is indeed a happy signal to everyone who advocate for the development of Clark. We as a community with a foresight all worked for this and we will sustain that by closely monitoring further developments,” he said.
Guiao then urged “skeptics and doubters” to now “erase” the negative notions about the future of Clark airport.
“The Neda Board and President Aquino’s approval is already a validation. The President is also a Kapampangan being from Tarlac and he also wants the region’s economic development boosted. I personally thank the President for the opportunity to make Clark one of the country’s economic development centers,” the lawmaker said. (JTD/Sun.Star Pampanga)