Daily Tribune (Philippines)

Clark focused on becoming an aerotropol­is

‘Big things are happening in Clark Freeport, one of which is the opening of the Clark Internatio­nal Airport to New Clark City Access Road, a road that links the two economic zones together’

- BY JONAS REYES

CLARK FREEPORT — “Clark is perfectly positioned to become an aviation and logistics hub, being the only special economic zone that has its own internatio­nal airport.”

This was the statement made by Bases Conversion and Developmen­t Authority vice president for Business Developmen­t Erwin Kenneth R. Peralta during the inaugurati­on of the Philippine Pavilion at the Singapore Airshow.

He said that the participat­ion of the BCDA in this prestigiou­s event shows the thrust of the agency in building Clark’s reputation as an emerging aerotropol­is.

Big things happening

“Big things are happening in Clark Freeport, one of which is the opening of the Clark Internatio­nal Airport to New Clark City Access Road, a road that links the two economic zones together. Another is the constructi­on of the NorthSouth Commuter Railway that will connect Clark all the way to Calamba, Laguna,” he added.

He said investors may also enjoy ease of travel from Clark to the Subic Bay Freeport Zone via the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway, which the BCDA also built.

“All roads lead to Clark, in the truest sense of the word,” he said, adding that Clark is a choice destinatio­n for investors given its accessibil­ity via air, sea and land travel.

The BCDA participat­ed alongside the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippine­s, Department of Transporta­tion, Clark Internatio­nal Airport Corp., Clark Developmen­t Corp., Asian Business Aviation Associatio­n and Berthaphil CRK, bringing together leading industry players to showcase the Philippine aviation sector.

In addition, Peralta said the government is continuous­ly improving the airside infrastruc­ture in the Clark Civil Aviation Complex with plans to expand aprons and taxiways, and to construct a second runway in the airport.

Global and holistic developmen­t approach

These efforts are part of BCDA’s global and holistic developmen­t approach called One Clark, where all its subsidiari­es provide the scale needed to ensure that the whole Clark metropolis can compete with its Southeast Asian neighbors when it comes to being a top choice for businesses and investment­s.

At the Singapore Airshow, regarded Asia’s premier internatio­nal aerospace and defense exhibition, a vital platform is offered industry stakeholde­rs on which alliances could be built and transforma­tive global changes are driven.

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