Clark body to push for 7 flagship projects in 2025
Clark International Airport in Pampanga province. —TONETTE OREJAS
CLARK FREEPORT—The state-owned Clark International Airport Corp. (Ciac) is set to push its seven flagship projects in 2025 as part of its mission to transform Clark into the Philippines’ premier global civil aviation and logistics hub, according to its top official.
The support of strategic partners in the public and private sectors is crucial to the implementation, Ciac president and chief executive officer Joseph Alcazar said at a recent press briefing.
From a Ciac director, Alcazar assumed the post from Arrey Perez, who marketed the projects before he was appointed president and chief operating officer of the Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. last November.
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Alcazar said the CIAC, as the premier aviation and development arm of the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA), is “not just focused on [building the Clark International Airport or CRK] terminal but on making an integrated ecosystem combining aviation, logistics, commerce and urban development,” branding the 2,367-hectare property as the Clark Aviation Capital.
Article continues after this advertisementThe Asian Development Bank is scheduled to complete in March the feasibility study for the Clark National Food Hub as facilities for research and quality control, warehousing, food processing, marketing services and domestic and international trade. From there, CIAC would begin to accept proposals for public-private partnerships and select the partner before the end of 2025.
Article continues after this advertisementAlcazar said the proposed food hub act (House Bill No. 10678), now with the House committee on trade and industry, plans to give further incentives to investors.
Proposals
He said the CIAC has been fixing its internal guidelines and would refer these to external government agencies for review.
“Once we have that, we will now be able to accept unsolicited proposals for the said project,” Alcazar said, adding that the first phase is targeted to be completed within the term of President Marcos.
The other six flagship projects are the CRK Direct Access Link that will connect the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway and the North Luzon Expressway to CRK; the Clark Entertainment and Events Center which includes a convention center, indoor sports arena, multimodal mobility terminal and the Clark Airport Mall; the Urban Renewal and Heritage Conservation Program; a detailed site development plan for the second runway for CRK; and the Clark Aviation Campus to meet the strong global demand for aviation-industry workers and professionals.
Alcazar said the BCDA was shouldering the budget for the expansion and upgrade of roads and utilities.
He is also pushing for an information technology master plan and the entry of more companies engaged in the maintenance, repair and operations of aircraft.
