The National Economic and Development Authority is preparing a masterplan meant to propel Pampanga into a sustainable and developed megalopolis.
In a briefing for Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo late Tuesday, NEDA officials presented the value engineering-value analysis study that was made as basis of the plan that will serve 16 municipalities and cities of Pampanga. Projects under the plan support sustainable growth and development in the province that take into consideration the high traffic volume and the Pampanga Megalopolis Plan.
The VE/VA analysis-based plan was presented by the study’s team leader, Hussein Lidasan. The study was presented to Arroyo in the course of a briefing on the ongoing separate study for the proposed Pampanga Mass Transit System.
The project hopes to establish a transit system that will: 1) guarantee inclusive mobility and accessibility in the province; 2) provide connectivity to urban center, production areas, residential areas, commercial and industrial centers and institutional and services areas; 3) be anchored on clean technology for an environmentally sustainable province; and 4) be supported by smart technology system for efficient and reliable operation and efficient fare collection system.
Lidasan said that the study analyzed the traffic-generating land use of the province such as malls, schools, and government agencies and evaluated the major road networks to be connected by the mass transit system.
It also surveyed the existing transport systems by determining the volume count and passenger occupancy along the routes plied in Pampanga. It showed that among the routes that see the highest vehicle count are the Mabalacat City-San Fernando City and Lubao-San Fernando City routes.
Lidasan said that the VE/VA was conducted to determine the alignment of the transport system needed.
“The VE/VA is an analysis wherein we will look at the best way of meeting the objectives without necessarily reducing the cost or increasing the cost, but to look at the value that will meet the objectives of our project,” Lidasan said.
The VE/VA analysis led to an alignment value proposition that will serve 16 municipalities and cities of Pampanga and support sustainable growth and development in the province as it takes into consideration the high traffic volume and the Pampanga Megalopolis Plan.
Key considerations of the alignment include Clark Field as one of the key development attractions in the province; the three possible major stations in Apalit, San Fernando, and Angeles; and the proposed Clark Railway Project.
Lidasan said that the next steps of the study will focus on transport demand forecast, technology selection, key informant interviews, focus group discussions, and stakeholder consultations.
The transport demand forecast, in particular, will help the team determine the kind of mass transit system that would best serve Pampanga.
He said a BRT system might be the most efficient option for Pampanga as it is the best system for a daily traffic demand of less than 400,000 person-trips per day.
The submission of the draft final report of the study is set on the second week of October 2019, while the revised final report will be submitted after the receipt of comments from the NEDA and Department of Transportation (DOTr).
Meanwhile, the findings and proposals will be presented to the local government officials and relevant stakeholders of Pampanga on June 28.
