THE Clark Freeport Zone reported exports increased by 82 percent, or $1.08 billion, during the first six months of the year. Imports increased by $1.04 billion, or 79.45 percent.
The increase in both exports and imports is expected to boost the standing of Clark Freeport as a center of manufacturing in the country.
This is in line with the government’s “Build, Build, Build” program, which sees the government investing in high-impact legacy projects that will usher in “the golden age of infrastructure in the country”.
The government, through the Bases Conversion Development Authority (BCDA), will implement these infrastructure projects to develop the Clark Freeport and its environs to benefit Central Luzon.
The projects include the P12.5- billion Clark International Airport New Terminal Building (Phase 1), the P57.2-billion Subic-Clark Cargo Railway, P105-billion Manila-Clark Railway (Phase 1) and the multibillion-dollar New Clark City, among other projects.
For 2017 alone the government allocated 5.4 percent of the GDP for infrastructure spending. To attain this bold and ambitious infrastructure vision, the government will spend a total amount of P8.4 trillion (approximately $160 billion) for infrastructure in the next six years.
An amount of P12.5 billion is allocated for the construction of the first phase of the Clark International Airport New Terminal Building, projected to increase passenger capacity by 8 million per year, from the existing 4.2 million passengers per year, for a total of 12.2 million passengers per annum. The ultimate target is 80 million per year upon completion of the fourth phase under the latest master plan.
The New Clark City will have different features, such as the creation of a national government center (P83 billion) a food-processing terminal and international food market (P31.3 billion) and mixed-income development housing (P8.3 billion). Of the 9,450-hectare New Clark City, the BCDA will be preserving approximately 70 percent of the total land area as open spaces for agriculture and forest land. Only 3,250 hectares will be developed for urban use.
