The Clark International Airport Corp. (CIAC) targets to award the National Food Hub project to its private sector partner next year, its new president and chief executive officer Joseph Alcazar said Tuesday.
In a year-end media fellowship gathering here, Alcazar said the feasibility study by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for the National Food Hub would be completed in March 2025.
“After we get that, then we will be full steam ahead for the development and inviting investors because we know that the feasibility study is very important for us to be able to do a proper tender for the Food Hub,” he said.
Alcazar added that up to three local and foreign groups are “trying to explore” opportunities to develop the PHP8.5 billion National Food Hub.
He said he is also hopeful that Congress would pass immediately House of Representatives Bill 10678, or The Clark National Food Hub Act, as this would support the timely delivery of the project.
Alcazar explained that through this legislation, the National Food Hub project would get allocation from the national budget and grant additional incentives for investors and locators.
The National Food Hub aligns with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s goal to ensure affordable and accessible food for all Filipinos.
It is positioned to become the country’s premium wholesale market and distribution hub for high-value and top-quality food products.
The National Food Hub will also host such services as food processing, warehousing, trading, market services, international shipping, and research and quality control.
Busy year ahead
Aside from the National Food Hub, the new CIAC head expects the year ahead to be “very busy” as the government-owned and -controlled corporation (GOCC) has begun laying the foundation to kick off its flagship projects next year.
Alcazar said CIAC has begun improving sites, roads, parks, and open spaces within the Clark Civil Aviation Complex, as well as the engineering and design of horizontal infrastructure projects.
“Before the year ends, we should create these foundations and then we proceed with the main-ticket projects. Next year and the following years will be a very, very busy time for CIAC,” he said.
Alcazar is continuing the flagship projects of former CIAC president and CEO Arrey Perez, who now leads the Metro Pacific Tollways Corp.
These flagship projects include the PHP21 billion Clark Entertainment and Events Center, PHP1.6 billion National Food Gateway, PHP1.2 billion Clark Direct Access Link, and the PHP1.8 billion Urban Renewal and Heritage Conservation Program.
Other projects are CIAC’s new office and Clark’s logistics hub. (PNA)
