Lakandula (Mabalacat)

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Barangay: Lakandula
City: Mabalacat
Province: Pampanga

Lakandula is the southernmost barangay of Mabalacat City. It is divided into two areas (East and West) by the Philippine National Railways (PNR) Clark Line which bisects the barangay. The East side is where its residential area is, and the West side is where the commercial and Freeport components are.

Lakandula's east side is the former Bernardo Subdivision carved out of neighboring Barangays Dau and Balibago. It consists of thirteen numbered parallel streets (from 7th to 19th) traversed by ten vertical streets mostly named after eminent Philippine Presidents.

Lakandula's west side, meanwhile, spans the area of Clark Freeport comprising industrial, commercial, office, and mixed-use developments. Establishments within Lakandula's portion of Clark Freeport include, among others:

The Medical City Clark and West Aeropark Campus in Clark Global City;
Yokohama Tire Philippines;
HLD Clark Steel Pipe Co.;
Park Inn by Radisson Clark, SMX Convention Center Clark and the Highline in the SM City Clark Complex.

With a population of 6,786 as of the 2015 census, Lakandula is the 10th most populous barangay in Mabalacat City and receives an Internal Revenue Allotment of around PHP 5.6-million annually. Its strategic location at the Southeastern tip of Clark Freeport makes Lakandula the choice of both investors to set-up shop and employees to live and work in.

Lakandula is widely accessible with its road network on the East side opening to MacArthur Highway on the 7th and 9th streets. Access to opposite ends 19th Street from Samsonville in Barangay Dau and 7th Street from Barangay Balibago is likewise possible through interior roads. The West side is part of the masterplanned road network of Clark Freeport, with access to the Clark Global City exit of the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEx) possible and multiple intersections of wide roads along the D.P. Macapagal Highway. The Clark Mabalacat-Angeles Road (CMAR) also has its southern terminus at the bisecting middle of Lakandula, giving the location easy access from both Mabalacat and Angeles cities.

Road transport is easy as Lakandula is beside the Bayanihan Park Terminal in neighboring Barangay Balibago providing intra-city mobility while the Dau Bus Terminal in Barangay Dau links the village to farther points of destination from across the Philippines. Also within a stone's throw is the Public Transport Terminal of SM City Clark, with regional linkages via Point-to-Point (P2P) Buses, Utility Van (UV) Express Service, and Public Utility Jeepney (PUJ) routes.

Air transport is a convenience as the Clark International Airport (IATA: CRK) is located in Mabalacat City, and is a 15-minute drive from Lakandula. Numerous domestic and international destinations from CRK can be reached, allowing residents of Lakandula prime access to the country's fastest-growing aviation center.

Rail transport will become a central point of access to Lakandula as the Clark Station of the Philippine National Railways (PNR) Clark Line is under construction behind the SM City Clark Complex to the west of 10th Street. The station will serve as the only other access to the PNR in Mabalacat City apart from the station under construction in front of Terminal 2 of the Clark International Airport. The railway will provide direct mass transit access to Metro Manila and Southern Luzon.

The growing economic activity in the Metro Clark area has made Lakandula a preferred place to live for many of those with work, school, and engagements in Clark Freeport. Because of this, an influx of new residents has led to the rise of numerous dormitory and apartment complexes in Lakandula. Among those constructed is the Escalade Inc. Dormitory on 10th Street - the city's largest - with a capacity of 180 bedspaces and amenities of its own such as a canteen, laundry, and CCTV 24/7 security.