Pampanga: ‘Field of dreams’

“If you build it he will come.”

Imagine your very own F2 International Racing Circuit, world-class golf course, wakeboard and water sports center, access to the fantastic off-road trail “created by” and heading towards Mount Pinatubo reminding you of scenery from “The Hobbit”, as well as a full-pledge International airport. Add to that a modern railway and pockets of idyllic residential and community-based businesses.  Like in the movie, you might ask: “ Is this Heaven?” No, it’s Pampanga.

Those are just some of the major ongoing and upcoming projects and developments in the province of Pampanga particularly in the town of Lubao, Angeles, San Fernando and of course the Clark Freeport Zone and its international airport. Yes, Kapampangans are building and people are coming. I recently had a chance to drive by “Pradera” a huge leisure oriented development located in Lubao, Pampanga and saw part of their wakeboard facility, their sprawling golf course and whilst having lunch, I overheard a bunch of guys talking in detail about the F2 international racing circuit currently being designed on site by “the most competent people” as far as design and construction of F2 tracks are concerned.

Kapampangans have been low-key about these developments but it is clear that Pampanga may soon be the future metropolis that will replace the old, congested and dying Metro Manila. If Pampanga’s political and community leaders band together and familiarize themselves with global and culturally oriented trends on urban development, Pampanga stands a very good chance of developing the entire province into an example of what a modern and international destination is in terms of business, urban communities and center for governance.

At the moment Pampanga has the advantage of space, time and the indifference of Metro Manila on their side. Add to that the fact that provincial and local governments have greater power now towards self-determination. Pampanga now has a second chance without having to ride on the back of a foreign government or dole outs, but the leaders and businessmen of Pampanga must face the mistakes of the past and solve the problems that others ignored.

After playing gateway to the Philippines for the 50th ASEAN Summit, “Clark” has gone up a few notches in the eyes of business and opinion leaders in terms of its potential as the future Government center, major international airport, etc., etc. Yes “Clark” has potential but so did, or does Subic Bay, John Hay, Sangley, Bataan and Batangas etc. Yet all of the above are stuck in a rut and remain below expectations.

What they have in common is the classification as “Export Processing Zone.” Ironic because we continue to develop or allocate land for such developments in spite of the fact that we have minimal developments on site and even fewer locators than government cares to admit. Besides which, how attractive is an address that says you live in a factory site not a community. Get off this wagon and think Metropolis, community and peoples’ needs.

All these “Export Processing Zones” are simply property developments that are part of land banking. In terms of development there are so many unmet requirements per location. Almost all can’t meet international standards for IT/internet speed, the cost of electricity to operate is horrendous, speed in setting up business or a politics-free operation is an issue, accessibility, hospitals, and support facilities such as residences, schools, as well as goods and services are limited and priced for tourists.

For better or worse, all these zones are fenced and uninviting to the public. For the most part you would have to stay at a hotel, spend like a tourist or go off site to live like the natives do. That is what makes such locations unattractive; having to work “on-base” and live “off-base.” None of the zones were designed as communities.

By now you may have seen the pattern of government and private sector. Government wants to be a landlord by building cheap and easy “Export / Development zones.” They are rent and statistics oriented not customer oriented. Private developers on the other hand are leisure and cash flow oriented investing in businesses that generally rely on short stay guests. The big and medium investors in Manila are now into building “New Cities” that are in reality nothing more than glorified office rentals with glamorized names and addresses. They put up blocks and boxes and let tenants evolve their fictitious developments by filling the needs in an evolving community. It’s no different from putting up a building, sub-dividing the space and utilities and calling it a “Mall.”

Pampanga is bigger and better than all of that. Pampanga if led right and done right can be the promised land for millions of people and businesses who need to get out of our dying Metro Manila. There is already talk of moving government offices to the Clark Freeport Zone and replacing NAIA with the Clark International Airport. That is a disaster waiting to happen because once again government thinks of what is quick, easy and cheap but fails to consider the congestion and chaos that takes place. Spread everything out but only after the support system and facilities including residential areas, hospitals, schools and logistical support are in place. In other words get professional help and make a plan.

Address three top concerns that stop people from relocating: the lack of affordable and quality housing, recognized schools and universities of quality standards, and first-rate hospitals and medical facilities. Clark and Subic should pursue investors for world-class hospitals in their zones for the benefit of locators, employees, guests as well as regional/ provincial patients so they don’t have to go down to Metro Manila. As freeports, international physicians might also be able to treat patients and train young doctors there as well.

Pampanga was once a field of sugar cane and rice, it can now be the Field of Dreams – that comes true.

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