TARLAC CITY, Tarlac, Dec. 13 (PNA) — The construction of a PhP1.7-trillion mega project in this province dubbed as Clark Green City will start next year.
This was disclosed on Saturday by Lawyer Arnel Paciano D. Casanova, president and CEO of the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA).
Casanova and his group visited here to present to the Tarlaquenos the importance of the Clark Green City to be put up mainly in the areas of Bamban and Capas towns, which are immediate neighbors of Clark in Pampanga.
He explained that the project is named only as Clark but it is actually a Tarlac project.
“We adopted the name of Clark because it will be easier for us to sell because Clark is already known worldwide among many investors. Just like Subic which is popularly known abroad than Olongapo City and yet its location is in Olongapo. Next year, President Benigno Aquino III will do the groundbreaking for the PhP1.5-trillion mega project in Tarlac. The Clark Green City is the biggest project nationwide envisioned by the Aquino administration,” he said.
He further said that “sustaining the momentum of the fastest growing economy in Southeast Asia, President Aquino approved the development of a new metropolis that will serve as the new urban core for innovation, commerce, trade and industry.”
Casanova discussed through PowerPoint presentation the important components they will put up in the 9,450-hectare Clark Green City project.
He said that it will be the first smart, green and disaster-resilient master-planned community in the entire Philippines.
He said the Clark Green City is a 30-year project.
“At full development, Clark Green City will have some 1.12 million residents, 800,000 workers and contribute a gross output of approximately USD34 billion per year to the national economy or roughly 4% share in the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
The Clark Green City will be only 120 kilometers north of Manila via the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) and it will be 90 kilometers from the Subic Bay Freeport via the Subic-Tarlac-Clark Expressway (SCTEX).
The completion soon of the Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway (TPLEX) can add to the growth of Tarlac.
Because of its proximity, Central Luzon can be an alternative metropolis to Manila.
“It can be also a hub for international ports because we have Subic for seaport and Clark for an airport. The need to build a new city stems from the projection that the Philippines population will reach a high of some 130 million with about 100 million living in the cities by the year 2030,” Casanova said.
He also said that BCDA believes that now is the ripe and opportune time for the government to build a city that will not only absorb the growth of the population.
The Philippines is Asia’s second fastest growing economy, second only to China.
In November, BCDA inked a pact with the Swedish government and private firms, the Swedish Environment Institute (IVL), ElectricCity and Xeric AB to develop Clark Green City.
Last Dec. 1, President Aquino personally witnessed the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between BCDA and the French Republic and private companies like Vivapolis in Paris, France.
Also early this month, BCDA and Sunray Power Inc. inked a lease agreement.
BCDA will lease a 260-hectare area in Clark Green City to build a 100-megawatt solar power facility worth PhP11.75 billion. (PNA)