CITY OF SAN FERNANDO – With the visioning workshop yesterday in this city, Governor Lilia “Nanay” Pineda and former President and now Second District Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and other stakeholders from the local government units are eyeing the eastern part of Pampanga as a competitive destination for tourism and technology based agriculture by 2020.
Led by Philippine Board of Investments Governor Oliver B. Butalid, the visioning workshop in this city is intended for Arayat, Magalang, Candaba, San Luis, Sta. Ana, Mexico, Apalit and San Simon as part of eastern Pampanga.
The inputs and potentials of each town will be integrated to the Pampanga Triangle Development Plan prepared by renowned urban developer Architect Felino Palafox Jr.
Butalid said the LGU inputs will also be formed part of the great urban plan which is divided into three parts namely Eastern Pampanga, Southern Pampanga and the Growth Triangle.
The said workshop is an integration of the great urban plan which is divided into three parts namely Eastern Pampanga, Southern Pampanga and the Growth Triangle.
The governor said the LGU workshops in the formulation of vision are based on the capacity and the current status of their respective municipalities which will greatly help the urban planning of Architect Jun Palafox.
Some of the visions formulated are as follows: for Arayat- “By 2020, Arayat is Pampanga’s top eco-tourism destination with modernized agricultural sector and the beginnings of new industry; for Candaba – “ by 2020, Candaba is sustainable haven for agri-ecotourism, bird watching and duck raising for salted eggs; For Magalang –“ by 2020, Magalang is the next Angeles City, with a touch of eco-tourism in the Arayat Mountain; for Sta. Ana – “ the food terminal of eastern Pampanga by 2019; for San Luis –“ the premier rice producer in the whole province of Pampanga by 2020; for Apalit – “ by 2020, Apalit is a pilgrim tourist destination in eastern Pampanga and the leading source of human resources for the whole province of Pampanga.
It was also highlighted during the workshop that the municipalities of eastern Pampanga are being groomed as agro and eco-tourism with some established industries.
Butalid said, all inputs from the LGUs were feasible and doable in a span of 5 years.
Governor Pineda said the local government units through their planning officers need to submit their long-term development plans to aid the plan of the development of the Pampanga megalopolis.
PHILIP OCAMPO
