Clark Philippines - NEw ASEAN 'Mother of all investments' destination

By MARK ANTHONY N. MANUEL

CLARK FREEPORT, Pampanga, Philippines – The Chairman of the three of the biggest companies in the country said that Clark Freeport would become the "mother of all investments" in the country if "relevant improvements in facilities and avionics as well as expansion of terminal buildings" will be erected inside the Freeport.

Kapampangan business tycoon Manuel "Manny" Pangilinan also said Clark is a great opportunity to be the center for call centers and business process outsourcing (BPO) services in the country as well as the hub for information technology for Central Luzon.

Pangilinan has compared Clark to Chenai and Bangalore in India, and Silicon Valley in California as an information technology center in the world.

Pangilinan is the chairman of the investment giant Metro Pacific Investments Corporation (MPIC), television station TV5, and Smart Communications, the biggest telecom company in the country.

He has also urged the national government to transfer the operation of Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) as the country's premier airport to the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA) in Angeles City, saying that the former airport will already reach its saturation level in about three years.

Speaking before the awardees of the Most Outstanding Kampangan, Pangilinan explained that Clark is a prime candidate as the new premier international airport "simply because it is ready."

"It's clear that an alternative international aviation gateway is needed sooner rather than later," said Pangilinan.

The businessman also disclosed that is companies are planning a public-private partnership for the development of the Pampanga River as a bulk water source.

"This plan is designed to help minimize flooding in the province," he said.

Pangilinan likewise announced his desire to establish a tertiary hospital in the province, "to upgrade medical services to the Kapampangan."

Pangilinan was reportedly in talks with Ramon Ang of San Miguel Corporation for the development of DMIA's Terminal 2 and a high-speed railway that will connect the airport to Manila.

"It is a positive development," said Mayor Marino Morales, noting that any development at the Clark airport will also redound to the overall progress of nearby Mabalacat town which plays host to the airport.

Morales said the presence of the Clark airport, the modern Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEx), North Luzon Expressway (NLEx), and the eventual construction of the high-speed railway will speed up the development of the northern part of Mabalacat as "Makati of the North."

DMIA plays host to foreign and local carriers such as Tiger Airways of Singapore that flies Clark-Singapore, Air Asia of Malaysia via Clark-Kuala Lumpur and Kota Kinabalu, Asiana Airlines via Clark-Incheon in South Korea with connecting flights to the US, China and Japan, Cebu Pacific Air via Hong Kong, Singapore, Bangkok and Macau while South East Asian Airlines (Seair) via Clark-Caticlan at the world famous Boracay Beach Island Resort.

Other carriers include Spirit of Manila Airlines via Clark-Taiwan and Jin Air a subsidiary of Korean Air with chartered flights to Incheon in South Korea.

It was remembered that top government officials in Central Luzon has urged President Benigno Simeon "PNoy" Aquino III to pursue the plans of developing the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA) here as a premier international airport in the Philippines, following reports of supposed glitches at the Ninoy Aquino international Airport.

The Metro Clark Advisory Council (MCAC), composed of representatives from business and concerned sectors in Central Luzon and of mayors of towns surrounding the Clark Freeport, has issued a resolution for the development of the Clark airport following the spate of diversionary flights in Clark.

 

Continue reading

President Aquino rejected the 3rd Class Citizens Mindanao

Visayas and Mindanao fought for recognition to be a called a real Filipino Citizen as Luzon coined themselves as "Filipino" the real and dominant Filipinos with language Filipino based in tagalong inspite of the dominance of Visayan language throughout the country.

Discrimination for Visayan and Mindanaoan people are common in Manila as they were called as 2^nd and 3^rd class citizen of the Philippines, respectively.

Development of the country are focused only in Manila and Luzon which funding are from the government coffers which taxes are collected from Luzon,  Visayas and Mindanao islands.

Only Luzon benefited progress and development for infrastructure and other development project leaving the 2 poor islands Visayas and Mindanao behind.

 The issue rises again; the 2 poor islands Visayas and Mindanao of the Philippines are rejected by their highly respected country leader President Benigno Aqguino III after Aquino ignored their suffering and prioritized his party life in Manila.

Inspite of the thousands of dead floating bodies around Iligan City and Cagayan de Oro City shores by the destructive typhoon Sendong, Aquino preferred to stay in Manila and to celebrate parties than giving his moral support to the hundreds of thousands displaced Mindanaoan.  

Mindanaoan needs strong arm to hold but rejected.

People of Mindanao are suffering; thousands of dead bodies floating in the water and some are covered by the mud but no leader show up to give a hand.

The most devastating typhoon killed thousands of poor people in Iligan City and Cgayan de Oro City calling for help from Manila government but rejected as President Aquino prioritized his personal life, partying with 1^st class citizen of the capital Manila in Luzon.

OFW's from different part of the world are busy sending aid and donation to the victims but Manila gives only a promise after Christmas.

The 3^rd class citizen Mindanaoan needs not only food, money and shelter but also a moral support from the country leader to help them stand.

Many victims commented, "Christmas is a party season, we understand the president to celebrate Christmas, but if he care for us in Mindanao, even for 1 hour that we could see him in his chopper to see us, it could turn a magic of another hope that there is a president who care for us".

Bad politics overpower in Aquino's heart

Iligan City is known to be the place of former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo as she studied her elementary in one of the public school in such devastated city and her grandmother Macaraeg  is an Iliganon.

Opposite from what the Pro Aquino supporter's thoughts; Iligan City rejected former Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to be a country leader.

People in Iligan City led the protests to oust the known corrupt Arroyo during her term.

Bomb explosions as sign of protest even happened at the backyard of the Macaraeg-Macapagal ancestral in Timoga, Iligan City when Arroyo visited the ancestral house. Iliganon really resist the presidency of the former president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo after "hello garci scandal" but they were rejected now for the bad political imagination that they are pro Arroyo supporters.

Virgilio Garcillano , the alleged  responsible for Hello garci scandal is now residing in Bukidnon, a city next to Cagayan de oro.

Philippine leader denies partying

President Benigno Aquino III has fought off accusations that he was partying with starlets as the Philippines was mourning hundreds of people killed by a storm.

The presidential palace said today Aquino briefly stopped by the traditional Christmas party of his elite security group at their compound on Sunday to show gratitude for their services.

"The president stayed for a little over 30 minutes. But he did not go up on stage, he did not sing, he did not dance. There was no partying," the head of the presidential security group, Colonel Ramon Dizon, said in a statement.

Tropical storm Washi hit the southern island of Mindanao at the weekend, spawning swollen rivers, flash floods and landslides which left 652 dead with hundreds other missing, according to Philippine Red Cross figures.

Reports of Aquino's alleged partying spread after a local TV actress and show host, Valerie Concepcion, said in her Twitter account that she met Aquino at the party, where she performed for the troops and their families.

Concepcion said Aquino laughed at her jokes and enjoyed her performance, triggering a wave of criticism directed at both.

The 51-year-old bachelor president, who comes from one of the country's richest landowning clans, had previously been linked to female celebrities and was once criticized for buying a Porsche sports car, which he has since sold.

Unlike previous presidents, including his own mother Corazon Aquino, the current leader has chosen to live in the compound of the presidential security group rather than the state palace used by the country's Spanish and American colonial rulers.

Continue reading