Plebiscite for Mabalacat cityhood set on July 21

MABALACAT, Pampangan Philippines  – The Commission on Elections has scheduled the plebiscite for the cityhood of this 300-year-old town on July 21.

President Aquino signed Republic Act 10164 declaring Mabalacat as Pampanga’s third city, after Angeles and San Fernando. The law must first be ratified by town residents for it to take effect.

“Cityhood means that from our P529 million annually, our internal revenue allotment would be increased to P900 million,” Mayor Marino Morales said yesterday.

Morales also assured his constituents that cityhood would not result in an increase in local taxes. “Even after five years, taxes need not be raised nor new ones imposed,” he said.

“The delivery of basic services to the people will be maximized once this first-class municipality becomes a component city. Other programs of the local government to further boost education, health, livelihood, employment, peace and order among other concerns will be realized faster once Mabalacat becomes a city,” Morales added.

The claims of officials of Bamban, Tarlac that Barangay Calumpang is within its jurisduction initially stalled the cityhood proposal. The barangay, which covers 1,486 hectares,was added in the cityhood proposal apart from the initial  8,390 land area of Mabalacat.

Morales said the issue was resolved by titles obtained from the Bases Conversion Development Authority showing that Calumpang falls under the territorial jurisdiction of Mabalacat.

Morales said a stimulus funding of P500 million was already allocated for the development of major infrastructure projects in the proposed city.

The projects include the Mabalacat public market, a “triple A” slaughterhouse, lighting of major roadways, construction of additional classrooms at Mabalacat Community College and a central business district.

“With this projected structures, Mabalacat will become the center of trade in Pampanga because it will play a major role in the development of the Clark International Airport,” Morales said.