PH eyeing Dutch help for Clark food hub

THE Philippine government is engaging Dutch stakeholders for the establishment of the Clark National Food Hub and investments in agriculture and logistics.

Led by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), the Philippine delegation met with officials from the Netherlands to discuss cooperation for the establishment of the Clark food hub and acquire best practices from the Dutch industry during their visit to The Hague, Netherlands, on May 8, 2024.

“The goal is to ensure a more efficient supply chain that will make food accessible, available and affordable for the Filipino. The best way to do that is to learn from the best,” Trade Undersecretary Mary Jean Pacheco said.

Cagayan Second District Rep. Rufus Rodriguez, the vice chairperson of the House Committee on Trade and Industry who was part of the delegation, said there are a lot of benefits from the establishment of a national food hub. This includes enhancing food security and stabilizing prices to promote economic growth and foster social stability.

Clark International Airport Corp. (CIAC) President Arrey Perez also attended the meeting and emphasized that Clark is honored to pioneer a future-proofed food hub.

In August 2023, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. gave the green light to the Three-year Food Logistics Action Agenda proposed by Trade Secretary Alfredo Pascual.

Crafted to transform the food distribution system, the creation of a National Food Hub in Clark marks the implementation of this strategy.

“Aligned with the President’s goal of ensuring food security, this initiative will empower our farmers and the private sector, as well as strengthen our supply chain and logistics systems,” Pascual said.

The Philippine delegation, composed of officials from DTI, the Department of Agriculture, CIAC, the Bases Conversion and Development Authority, and the House of Representatives, aims to learn from Dutch stakeholders how to shape the Clark National Food Hub’s development and foster partnerships for agricultural and logistics investments.

Philippine Ambassador to the Netherlands J. Eduardo Malaya, meanwhile, said that the Netherlands “is an ideal partner for this endeavor.”

As the world’s second-largest exporter of agriculture and its related products, Malaya vouched for the partnership between the two countries, adding that the Netherlands has been consistently recognized as a premier logistics hotspot in Europe, consistently ranking high in the World

Bank Logistics Performance Index.

Director-General for Foreign Economic Relations Michiel Sweers emphasized the Netherlands’ robust agriculture sector and innovative agro-logistics capabilities.

“As a center of excellence in trade facilitation and technological innovation in the world, you are in the right place,” Sweers said.