be anchored on clean technology for an environmen-

By Jestu Manalastas tallv-sustainable province; and be supPorted by smart

OUTGOING House Speaker Gloda Macapagal-Ar- tecinology systein for efficient and reliable oPeration
royo yesterday said thtt PamPanga will soon have its and efficient fare collection svstem.
own mass transit svstem. Lidasan said the studv anaiyzed the traffic-generat
She made the ani-rouncement after a brief meeting inp land use of the province sui:h as malls, sciobls, and
with National Econornic and DeveloPment Authority go"u"--urrt ageniies and evaluated the maior road
-
ATEDA), ietworks to be connected by the mass transit system
Arrovo. who was offered to become consultant of It also surveyed the existing tlansPort systems in
the Par^joanea provincial eovemment, said the transit PamDarrsa.
system w l fietp decongeit Meco Manila ard sprea-d .. ue sai'd they ate figuring out what ka.nsPort system
develoDmmt to the pro\rince.s. is needed in the province.
The'MDA brietuil the Speaker about the ongoing "For exampl-e, nakita natin na ang kailangan
study for the proposed Pampanga Mass Traruit Sys- nala is more bf a iommuter line, then that will
tem. Lither be LRT (lisht rail svstem) or a medium rail
Arroyo had sai4 she would help in the implemm- svstem. lt will- accomriodate aPproximately
tation-oi 8le Megalopotis plan in Pampanga aJter she 400,000 to 750,000 people. lf it is a feeder line, it
leaves the House ofRePres€ntatives on Jrme 30. would be a monora-il or BRT (bus raPid transit),"
The Megalopolis project seeks to make PamPanga Lidasan said.
the gatewat to'Asia [tu6ugh the development of clur
ter cities (agriculture, ecology, air transportatiofl-and - re
RAeta \/
marine life)-, focushg on specific areas and technolo-
a%n"
or *r" main components of the MegaloPolis
oroiect is to ensure an efficient, reliable ard sustain-
lbl6 transpo*ation s\,€tem in and around Pampanga
Studv ieam leade; Dr. Hussein Lidasan said they
are findins out the viabiliw of a mass transit syslelrl in
the provin"ce and tlLe appr6priate low-carbon tedrnol-
ogy'that would ensur6 an efficient intcrmodal trans-
port svstem-
' Th6 proiect hopes to estabtish a transit system that
will cuarantee inilusive mobility and accessibility in
the orovince, provide connectivity to u-rban center,
production ar6as, residential area!, com-srercial and
indusbialcenters and institutional and sergices areas;