DUTERTE: Manila will be a “dead city” in 25 years!

President Rodrigo Duterte had his dire predictions about the future of Metro Manila.

In a speech on Thursday, December 7, Duterte suggested "closing" Manila in a decade so that government can focus on developing other cities.

"Ten years from now, they should close Manila and start to develop this, this is the best. Something similar to Clark in other places – Batangas, Cavite," said Duterte to his mostly Pampangeño audience at the Kapampangan Food Festival.

He promoted decentralization, saying Manila is no longer conducive for factories, compared to cities like Clark.

In 25 years, the capital city would be "dead," the President predicted. "Manila, I think will be, in about 25 years, will be a dead city. It will start to decay," he said.

This is why it is important to develop places outside Manila, such as the Clark Freeport Zone in Pampanga, as an alternative destination for industries, the President said.

“Clark is a very important arterial place kasi ito ‘yung papalabas talaga ng Luzon upwards...and the development because it is very important that we disperse the industries,” Duterte said in his speech at the Kapampangan Food Festival in Clark.

“Manila, I think will be in about 25 years... be dead city. It will start to decay and there is no way that we can rehab the place.”

Duterte said Clark has a big potential as the country’s next industrial hub and help in easing congestion in Metro Manila, which he said should “close” in 10 years.

“You have to disperse the crowd, limit the factories at some time in the future but. But about 10 years from now, they should close Manila and start to develop... ito, ito ang pinakamaganda ngayon eh,” he said of Clark, a former American air base which is home to an international airport long eyed to replace the main airport in Manila.

“The most important was ibinigay sa iyo ang Clark for you to manage and make use of. Clark is a very important destination now,” he added.

The administration is embarking on an ambitious P8-trillion infrastructure program to improve mobility in the Philippine capital and build more road networks and other infrastructure around the country.