Strong, steady rise of Pampanga

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Pampanga, over the past centuries, has flourished as a province that it was destined to be, thanks to its strong sense of the past and its recognition of the present and the future.

Said to be the first province in Luzon and the “richest spoil” created by the Spaniards in 1571, Pampanga is home to rich cultural heritage evident in its people, arts, cuisine and tradition.

Rising to prominence

(DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION)

Apart from this, the province has risen to prominence, particularly in the last few decades, as among the most attractive investment destinations—recovering from the devastating eruption of Mount Pinatubo in 1991, and becoming a model of a resilient economy.

It is also now a thriving culinary capital that boasts of progressive industries, such as manufacturing, wholesale and retail trade, motor vehicle repair, accommodation and food service, among others.

In the 2022 Cities and Municipalities Competitiveness Index (CMCI), Pampanga ranked 12th among the most competitive provinces in the country.

Modern infrastructure

(RAMON FVELASQUEZ)

Further boosting Pampanga’s competitiveness as a tourist and investment destination is the completion of modern infrastructure, that allowed for connectivity given its expressways and highways, five existing municipal ports which function as fish landing centers, and two airstrips namely the Basa Air Base in Floridablanca, and Clark International Airport in Clark Freeport Zone.

In January, a P48.9-million flood control structure was built along Porac River with the aim of protecting communities in the Municipality of Porac in Pampanga. The P54.02-million two-lane Sto. Niño Bridge was also completed in Magalang, Pampanga in March, thereby improving connectivity among the town’s communities.

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On April 16, the rehabilitation and widening of Marimla Bridge in Pampanga, worth P43.42 million, was completed to facilitate the unhampered flow of traffic in the province.

Two days later, the newly reconstructed Lazatin Steel Flyover was reopened to the public to ease traffic congestion from San Fernando City, Pampanga to Bataan, Zambales, and vice versa. The two-lane, 7.5-meter flyover was closed last Feb. 11 due to the structure’s deterioration caused by vehicle overloading.

Employment opportunities

(INQUIRER FILE PHOTO)

Pampanga is also home to special economic zones and industrial parks like the Clark Freeport Zone and Special Economic Zone, Clark IT Park and Pampanga Economic Zone, where investors flock given the province’s strategic location and close proximity to Metro Manila, availability of skilled workers, and improving infrastructure.

These ecozones and industrial parks help create employment opportunities for surrounding communities, further boosting the economic potential of the region.

Angeles’ growth

While not the province’s capital, Angeles City, known as the birthplace of sisig, has significantly contributed to the continuous growth of the province.

According to the CMCI, Angeles City was the fifth most improved highly urbanized city in 2022 after placing 25th among the most competitive highly urbanized cities, three spots above from its 2021 performance.

Angeles City has seen a construction boom in the past decades with businesses putting up malls and commercial spaces, hotels, residential condominiums, restaurants and other recreational complexes. The city will also benefit from the Malolos-Clark Railway project which will connect Bulacan to the Clark Economic Zone and the Clark International Airport. One of the seven stations of the 53.1-km railway line will be in Angeles City.

Despite being a vibrant and thriving city, it managed to preserve its cultural character, drawing visitors to its heritage structures of the 19th and 20th centuries; museums; the Clark Air Base, an American-led military fort, among others.

Sources: Inquirer Archives, Department of Public Works and Highways, psa.gov.ph