ALONG THE HIGHWAY

3 new major roads approved by Arroyo
GEORGE TRILLO

CLARK FREEPORT, Pampanga — President Arroyo has ordered the Bases Conversion and Development Authority to build three more interchanges in the Pampanga portion of the P21-billion Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway project. Well and good.

The President issued the order during a recent high-level meeting in Malacañang presided over by Secretary Cerge Remonde of the Presidential Management Staff according to president and chief executive officer Levy P. Laus of the Clark Development Corp.

The three additional interchanges are the Clark Logistics-2 Interchange, the Porac Interchange in Dolores and the Basa Interchange in Floridablanca. ThePorac, Basa, and Clark Friendship Interchanges were part of the original SCTEx project plan but had to be deferred for lack of funds. The Clark Logistics-2 Interchange will take the place of the Clark Friendship Interchange, according to a BCDA announcement. .

The BCDA had raised the necessary funding requirements to build the three interchanges. Access roads to the Porac and Basa Interchanges will be constructed by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

The high-level meeting was attended by Pampanga Gov. Ed Panlilio, Subic-Clark Alliance for Development Council chairman Edgardo Pamintuan, presidential adviser for Central Luzon Rely Fajardo, City of San Fernando Mayor Oscar Rodriguez; Clark International Airport Corp. president Victor Luciano, Laus, and BCDA president Narciso Abaya.

Laus said CDC and the people of Pampanga were very thankful to the President for her decision on the interchanges which finally solved some disputes over the proposed road networks. The President’s decision on the three interchanges "will be a great boon to the investment and development in Pampanga and Central Luzon," Laus said. "It strengthened the unity of Pampanga leaders for progress and development." Luciano said that the approved construction of the three interchanges would solve traffic problems and contribute easier access to Clark Freeport.
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In a related development Meycauayan, Bulacan, the top 30 users of the North Luzon Expressway were honored recently by the Manila North Tollways Corporation at the 1st North Luzon Expressway Top Accounts Appreciation Night.

The best-performing customers were chosen for their frequent and heavy use of NLEX by their fleet of vehicles. The usage was monitored on the many times they used NLEX’s toll collection badge.
Renie Ticzon, MNTC vice president for marketing, cited the companies’ "continuing support for NLEX," and underscored the significance of the appreciation night: "This occasion is MNTC’s special way of thanking our customers, and of assuring our support for their businesses."

He noted the strong partnership between MNTC and its corporate customers: "You move people and goods, and we at NLEX ensure a seamless expressway, your trips are safe, while your costs are down." On the same occasion, MNTC president Jose P. de Jesus told the honorees and the audience that the NLEX "will maintain its excellence in service and road quality so we can always exceed the expectations of our customers."

The honorees belong to five categories. These are public utility buses; freight forwarding and trucking services; fast-moving consumer goods; construction, industrial products and supplies; and sales and distribution.

The PUB honorees were Baliwag Transit, Bataan Transit, E.S. Transport, Fermina Express, Five Star Bus Co., Genesis Transit, Partas Bus Co., and Victory Liner.

Freight, Forwarding and Trucking Services: Cargo Shipping Assistanceship, Hana Net Phil. Co., Quicktrans Cargo Moving Inc., SN Trucking Services, Transilver Freight Services Corp., and Wheelhouse Transport.

Fast Moving Consumer Goods: Big E Food Corp., Gardenia Bakeries Phil. Inc., and Marby Food Corp.Construction, Industrial Products and Supplies: JC Tayag, Lamco Paper Products Co., Moldex Group of Companies, Peaksun Enterprises and Export Inc., Phil. Hattori Construction and Development Corp., Pozzolanic Philippines Inc., Regan Industrial Sales Inc., Sysco Development Corp., and Trust International Paper Corp.

Sales and Distribution: Fortune Chest Trucking Corp., GD Canlas Trucking, Pais Carriers, and Salem Oceanic Industries. The Appreciation Night was held recently in the Teatrino Theatre Lounge in San Juan, Metro Manila.