House probe sought into Capilion project

• Source: http://www.sunstar.com.ph/pampanga/local-news/2015/08/26/house-probe-sought-capilion-project-426746
• Thursday, August 27, 2015 (Date Published)

By Reynaldo G. Navales

ANGELES CITY -- The Sangguniang Panlungsod here has asked the House of Representatives to conduct an investigation on the Clark Green Frontier of Singapore-based Capilion Corporation PTE Limited.

The city councilors expressed their request to Congress through a resolution unanimously approved on Tuesday.

The city officials are requesting Congress through Representatives Oscar Rodriguez (Pampanga Third District), Joseller “Yeng” Guiao (Pampanga First District), Juan Pablo “Rimpy” Bondoc (Pampanga Fourth District), Noel Villanueva (Tarlac Third District), Susan Yap Sulit (Tarlac Second District) and all members of the Central Luzon congressman bloc to introduce a resolution in pursuit of an investigation of the construction of Capilion in a no build zone inside the Clark Freeport.

Councilor Max Sangil, proponent of the resolution, said that their request is addressed to all Central Luzon congressmen.

The city officials claimed that the present administration of the state owned Clark Development Corporation (CDC) entered into a lease agreement for 25 years with a possible extension of another 25 years with Capilion, a Singaporean company in a no build zone near the former main gate of Clark Freeport.

The 3.8-hectare location of the Capilion project, where several mixed-used facilities will be erected, was already carved out by virtue of Republic Act 9400 (Bases Conversion and Development Law as amended) and no longer under the territorial jurisdiction of CDC, the officials stated in their resolution.

The said area, which is now part of Angeles City, was freed by several master plans, undertaken in previous administrations of CDC, according to Sangil.

Based on the previous master plan, the Capilion site was reserved for future use as an inter-modal train station for a railway system that will connect the planned Clark International Airport as an international gateway into the main rail system, Sangil added.

The establishment of several tall buildings in that no build zone will restrict the growth of Clark airport, the SP resolution stated.

Aside from these, the councilors projected that the establishment of buildings in the said area will contribute to traffic congestion at the Freeport’s main entrance.

“The presence of the mixed-used facility in the area will aggravate the almost daily traffic jams being experienced by commuters on the nearby, particularly Don Juico Avenue, Fields Avenue that extends up to MacArthur Highway,” Sangil said.

Sangil said that the resolution was co-sponsored by Councilors Maricel Morales and Amos Rivera and backed by majority of the city council members.