THE state-run Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) gave assurance that Clark Freeport Zone will definitely have direct access to Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEx).
 
 The BCDA said the construction of Panday Pira Road, which serves as a vital link from SCTEx to the freeport through Clark North-B Interchange, would start as soon as the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) releases a supplementary loan for SCTEx.
 
 SCTEx spokesman Robert Gervacio said work on Panday Pira Road would take at least four months.
 
 Thus, Gervacio ruled out the possibility that Panday Pira access road could be completed in time for the scheduled opening of SCTEx in April this year.
 
 He explained that deferment of work on Panday Pira Road was a strategic decision meant to streamline and rationalize certain components of the ongoing construction of the main SCTEx project.
 
 As it was, some adjuncts of the 93.7-kilometer SCTEx were "scoped out" as an offshoot of reduction of the project cost to P21 billion.
 
 Gervacio stressed that, like every stakeholder, the BCDA also wanted SCTEx to be completed on time "so that the people, particularly those in Central Luzon, could begin to receive the benefits of having a world-class, seamless highway."
 
 "As much as we want construction work to go full steam ahead, there have been some constraints that prevented us from meeting our original deadlines," Gervacio said, adding that once completed, SCTEx would be worth the waiting.
 
 He also called on the stakeholders to continue supporting the BCDA and the government in pushing SCTEx to full completion, instead of standing in the way of the road builders.
 
 "It is now a matter of time before we open SCTEx to vehicular traffic. Having done that, we can focus on addressing the concerns of the public, particularly the motorists that would likely come up along the way," he said.

Wednesday, March 05, 2008
Angeles vice mayor declared 'persona non grata'
By Ian Ocampo Flora

ANGELES CITY -- The City Council here has declared its own presiding officer, Vice Mayor Vicenta Vega-Cabigting, as an undesirable person.

During Tuesday's session of the City Council, Councilor Danilo Lacson filed a resolution declaring Cabigting "as persona non grata."

Enumerating the "issues" against Cabigting, Lacson said the resolution is the result of the vice mayor's refusal to sign the appointments of confidential staff assigned to the majority bloc, as well as the issues emanating from the reorganization of the Liga ng mga Barangay (LB).

In response to Lacson's resolution, Cabigting delivered a privilege speech. She, however, refused to take questions from the majority bloc of the City Council.

But the majority bloc seemed to have been dissatisfied with the answers of Cabigting and proceeded with the approval of the resolution.

Cabigting did not preside over the proceedings that led to the approval of the resolution. The majority placed Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) Federation president Carl John Miranda as presiding officer.

Councilor Willie Rivera criticized the action of the majority, saying the act "is a way of closing the doors for communication and dialogue" and that it would not be proper to declare the presiding officer, who is mandated by law to uphold her position, as persona non grata.

Most of the councilors, on the other hand, affirmed their votes with the issues raised earlier against Cabigting.

"You (Cabigting) have a personality defect; you try to cling on something even though it is wrong," Councilor Agapito del Rosario told Cabigting, pointing out that the vice mayor's earlier privilege speech was "too personal" on the part of the majority.

Tension sparked when Miranda, the presiding officer, recognized barangay leader Robin Nepomuceno to vote on the resolution as ex-officio councilor representing the LB.

When Cabigting resumed in presiding the session, she said the act of Miranda was "clearly in violation of the current court procedure on the issue of the LB between Nepomuceno of Barangay Cutcut and Jerry Alejandrino of Barangay Pandan."

"The issue is already in court, if it would appear that the City Council is already recognizing someone, our SK might be seeing himself in contempt of court," Cabigting said.

Councilor Ares Yabut, on the other hand, lauded Miranda's action, stating that Nepomuceno is the real LB president.

But Cabigting vowed to present the proceedings of the resolution, the media tapes of the session and Yabut's declaration in court, adding that any issue pending the decision of the court should not be discussed in the council.

Some attendees of the session were disappointed with Miranda for having been playing as a "puppet" of the new majority.

"He sits there but he does not call the shots, he does what honorable councilors dare not do," an observer said.