Makati-Clark in 55 min

CLARK FREEPORT --Travel time between Makati and Clark via railway will be reduced to 55 minutes with the Airport Express Service.

Department of Transportation (DOTR) officials disclosed this during the first inspection of the PNR Clark Phase 2 (Malolos-Clark) railway project on Saturday.

This airport link project, the first of its kind in the country, is also part of the 147-kilometer North South Commuter Railway ( NSCR) .

Aside from this, the travel time between Malolos, Bulacan and Clark will be cut down from one hour and 30 minutes to just 30-35 minutes, the agency st at ed.

The 53-kilometer Malolo-Clark railway segment will link several areas in Central Luzon to Metro Manila.

It has six stations in

Calumpit, Bulacan; Apalit, Pampanga; City of San Fernando; Angeles City; Clark Freeport and Clark International Airport.

Eigo Azukizawa, chief representative of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), lauded the DOTR for its swift implementation of the project despite the COVID 19 pandemic.

He said the succesful commencement and ongoing roll-out of construction are products of collaborative efforts and firm partnership between the government and its partner agencies.

"We are amazed by the fast and continued progress of the project amid the pandemic," the JICA official added.

During an inspection of the project in Mabalacat City, Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Koshikawa Kazuhiko said their government will continue providing technology and other means for the effective implementatin of the NSCR project.

Japan is one of the top funding source of the railway projects implemented by the DOTR.

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO - As Senator Christopher "Bong" Go appealed for fairness and impartiality in the ongoing Senate probe into the use of COVID-19 funds, he also assured the public that the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte will never tolerate any form of corruption nor favor personalities based on connections.

In a manifestation during the Blue Ribbon Hearing on Friday, September 17, he asked his fellow lawmakers to use the forum to uncover the truth and hear all sides.

“Ang pakiusap ko lang sa mga kasamahan ko, gamitin natin ang forum na ito para lumabas talaga ang katotohanan at maging patas tayo sa lahat. Pakinggan po natin ang lahat ng panig,” said Go.

Go also asked the resource persons to help in the investigation by telling the truth.

“Ang pakiusap ko naman sa mga resource persons, makipagtulungan kayo at magsabi kayo ng totoo. Just tell the truth. ‘Yung katotohanan lang naman po para maliwanagan po ang lahat, para naman po hindi madamay ang mga inosente,” he said.

Go also belied unfounded claims that Duterte tolerates corruption just because particular individuals in question allegedly has connections with him.

“Ang problema po dito, ‘yung iba pinagpipilitan na malapit ang isang tao sa amin ni Pangulo, pero hindi dahil malapit sa amin ni Pangulo ay ibig sabihin ay nagbibigay pabor na kami. Nagkakamali po kayo,” said Go.

Go said that he and Duterte will not give out favors to anyone just because they are friends or supporters, especially at the expense of public interest.

“Alam n’yo po, mabait si Pangulong Duterte sa mga gustong tumulong. Pero hindi po namin ugali na magbigay ng pabor sa kaibigan o sa negosyate dahil hindi kami nakikinabang kahit kailan. Hindi namin kailangan dahil kuntento na kami kung ano po ang ibinigay ng Diyos sa amin. Wala na kaming hihilingin pa, kaya ibinabalik namin ang serbisyo para sa ating mga kababayan,” said Go.

“Kahit mga kaibigan kayo ni Pangulong Duterte, ako po ay witness diyan, kahit mga kaibigan ni Pangulong Duterte ang kaharap ko, parati niyang sinasabi, kung ano lang po ang tama, kung ano lang po ang naaayon sa batas,” he added.

As for those who are linking him and Duterte to alleged anomalies, Go said that they never intervened or used their influence in government transactions.

“Sa totoo lang po, simple lang naman ang tanong, nakikialam ba kami ni Pangulo? Nakialam ba si Pangulo? Nag-impluwensya ba ako o si Pangulong Duterte para sa mga negosyanteng ito? Ginamit ba mga pangalan namin? At parati naman sinasabi ni Pangulo noon, na kapag ginamit ang pangalan niya, ginamit ang pangalan ng pamilya niya, ako po kapag ginamit ang pangalan ko, consider it denied. Naalala ko pa po sa isang pagdinig sa Senado, kapag ginamit ang pangalan namin, consider it denied,” he said.

“Ang tanong naman po rito, nagkaroon ba ng pagkalugi ang gobyerno dahil kay Pangulong Duterte, dahil utos niya po? Mr. Chairman, wala naman pong ganoong utos ang ating Pangulo,” added Go.

While he acknowledged that businesses need to make profit, the senator emphasized the Duterte administration’s stand that businesses need to conduct their activities, especially those with the government, lawfully.

“Hindi naman namin mapipigilan ang mga negosyante na mag-negosyo kung talagang legitimate naman ‘yan. Pero dapat ang negosyo ay naaayon sa batas. Walang tinatapakan, walang naaagrabyado. Kung legal ang negosyo ninyo, wala pong problema sa inyo,” Go stressed.

“Parating sinasabi ni Pangulong Duterte sa mga nakakausap niya na mga investor - just do what is right and what is legal. Basta nasa tama ka, welcome po kayong pumasok at hindi po kayo pahihirapan,” he added.

He referenced his time working with Duterte, who was then the mayor of Davao City, and said that the President has never tolerated individuals who do not respect the law. He claims that those that cooperate are given a fair shot to do business.

“Sa lahat po ng mga pumapasok na negosyo sa Davao City noon, kapag nagbigay ka, nabanggit ko po ito sa mga developers, kapag nagbigay ka sabi ni Pangulo, huwag ninyong tulungan. Pero kapag hindi ka nagbigay, tulungan ninyo po. Ayusin niyo mga papeles, alalayan niyo. You will be given a fair chance na magnegosyo lalo na makapagbibigay ng trabaho sa ating mga kababayan,” said Go.

“Pero kapag pumasok ka sa kalokohan o sa droga, ah ibang usapan na po iyon,” he added.

Proving Duterte’s zero tolerance for corruption, Go also cited the case of Michael Yang, a friend of President Duterte and who is now allegedly linked to Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corp., a business entity which is involved in billion peso pandemic response contracts last year.

“Katulad po ni Michael Yang na pinagpipilitang malapit kay Pangulo at sa akin, nagkataon na kakilala siya ni Pangulong Duterte noong 1999 o 2001. Hindi ko pa po kilala ‘yan, kaya naging kakilala ko na lang po dahil kay Pangulong Duterte. Hindi ibig sabihin, porke’t nakilala o naging kaibigan ni Pangulong Duterte ay kukunsintihin na po namin sa kalokohan,” said Go.

Go then urged his colleagues to finally put to justice those who are found guilty of irregularities so the government can focus again on its pandemic response.

“Para matapos na ang hearings na ito at maka-focus na ang ating mga opisyal sa paglaban sa pandemyang ito, lalo na tumataas ang kaso, nasa gitna pa tayo ng laban kontra COVID-19,” he said.