Christmas in Clark
Not literally the yuletide season. But the “gifts” have started to pour in.
Biggest of which is the expansion of Yokohama Tire Philippines Inc. (YTPI) inside the Freeport. It’s another huge project for the Japanese radial tire maker which is now one of the biggest in the world. Their Clark factory is now their largest plant, with more than 32,000 tires per day production capacity by year 2026.
It is pouring P3.5-billion investments and will be creating thousands of jobs more. It’s a long overdue expansion program, which understandably, was put on hold when the COVID19 pandemic hit. YTPI was not alone in the wait and see stance it adopted. So many companies had to put on hold their planned expansion. Congratulations YTPI.
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CDC President and CEO Atty. Agnes VST Devanadera announced that Clark Freeport exceeded its investment targets, securing P44.5 billion all sealed in the first quarter. She shared this during a meeting with Secretary Frederick Go, Special Assistant to the President for Investment and Economic Affairs (SAPIEA) in Malacañan recently.
Prior to that, CDC has started to complete some key infra projects such as the unfinished MA Roxas Highway widening. This one was shelved since the time of the pandemic and is now almost in the 90percent-ish stage of completion.
CDC has also renovated the 2.5-kilometer jogging path around the Parade Grounds. The eastern end has been completed while the opposite side would be finished just before the onset of rainy season, I believe.
So many things are shaping up in Clark. Devanadera is just full of energy to do all of them. (Thanks to her source of energy – her lipstick). She is keeping her pace all pumped up all because of the upcoming MICE Convention where about 2,000 participants from the travel industry would converge by July this year.
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The BCDA is also chalking up very significant achievements in Clark and other areas under its management and operations.
Led by its PCEO Engr. Joshua Bingcang, the mother company of CDC secured memoranda of understanding (MOU) as well as a collaborative partnership with its Australian counterparts — contributing to the Php86-billion worth of investments sealed between the Philippines and Australia on the sidelines of the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit today.
Among the deals signed were for the development of a 30 megawatt (MW)-40MW data center in Poro Point Freeport Zone, La Union; expansion of next-generation battery manufacturing in the Philippines; the deployment of decarbonization solutions in New Clark City, Tarlac and other BCDA properties; as well as the development of an electric transportation framework within BCDA properties.