Guv joins calls to decongest Metro Manila

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO— The Provincial Government of Pampanga, through Governor Lilia Pineda, has expressed her full support for calls to decongest Metro Manila. Decongesting Metro Manila is expected to boost investment and spur further economic development in Pampanga, Central Luzon and other parts of the country, she said.

Governor Pineda’s move is also in support of the advocacy of the Pampanga Chamber of Commerce and Industr y, Inc. to decongest Metro Manila.

Earlier, the Pampanga Provincial Board approved Resolution No. 3769 dated February 6 last year that supports the calls for the decongestion of Metro Manila and referred it to President Aquino and Congress for thei r consideration. “If investments and resources are spread out from Metro Manila, Central Luzon and the rest of the country, it will generate economic activities that would provide the people job opportunities and other means of livelihood thereby improving their quality of life,” the resolution said.

Repor ts quoting American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines senior adviser John D. Forbes said that Met ro Manila is at risk of becoming uninhabitable as annual new car growth of 500,000 is expected by 2020.

The Japan International Cooperat ion Agency (JICA) study commissioned by the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) approximated a daily economic and productivity loss of P2.4 billion per day, which is expected to increase to P6-billion per day by 2030 if the traffic congestion in Metro manila is left unresolved by the government.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) reported of an imminent movement of the West Valley Fault that can trigger a 7.2 magni tude earthquake in Metro Manila, the center of business and finance, the hub of investments, and the seat of government in the country.