A DELIGHTED President Arroyo.

Nothing could be more pleasing than to see President Arroyo so happy with the things she observes to be growing and prospering.

During her recent visit to Clark, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo was seen to be delighted with the way things are shaping up inside the Freeport.

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First stop was the groundbreaking and time capsule laying ceremony for a 10-storey Donggwang ODE Officetel on C.M. Recto Highway (the former Grand Duty Free shop).

Arroyo, after the brief ceremonies, spent few minutes on a tete-a-tete with CDC officials led by Tatang Benny Ricafort and Donggwang executives that include their chairman who flew in all the way from South Korea just for the occasion.

President Arroyo was all smiles from beginning to end of the simple rites, and even until she got seated inside the Coaster that ferried her to the next Clark event. She was even waving from an opened window to the crowd while her entourage was leaving the place.

Worth $40 million, the structure is a project of Donggwang Clark Corp. (DCC), a mixed-use property development firm. The project will need 730 workers to complete.

The mother company of Donggwang Clark Corp. (DCC), Donggwang Construction Co. Ltd., is one of the largest construction companies in South Korea. It has total assets of 1.2 trillion won (around $945 million).

It will be recalled that DCC and Clark Development Corporation (CDC) signed an agreement for the lease of a 1.69-hectare property within the Clark Freeport Zone. President Arroyo herself witnessed the signing of the agreement President during the Asean-Koreo CEO Summit in Korea on May 31.

In addition to the ODE Officetel, DCC will develop a 342-hectare tourism estate on Sacobia Valley at a cost of $200 million.

The project, which will generate employment for 1,000 people, requires the construction of a resort complex and two roads on Sacobia Valley, renamed by the CDC as Next Frontier a 30,000-hectare former US military reservation north of the Freeport or the 4,400-hectare main zone.

The two road projects will cost P218 million. The first stretches for 1.8 kilometers, while the second spans 4.5 kilometers from the Next Frontier to McArthur highway.

These roads will also provide access to the 300-hectare tourism estate to be developed by Donggwang at a cost of $200 million in the Next Frontier.

This worthy undertaking and brainchild of Tatang Benny is not only intended to benefit investors and locators but also our brother Aetas whom CDC acknowledges as rightful owners of a big portion of The Next Frontier by virtue of Ancestral Domain Claim.

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The second stop of Arroyo in Clark two day ago was the opening of the 2nd National Information and Communications Technology Confederation of the Philippines (2nd NICP) Summit 2009 at the Fontana Convention Center.

In her speech, Arroyo expressed elation not only on the progress of ICT businesses all over the country but at how this industry thrives in Clark.

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"Wala ng makakatalo sa Clark," said the delighted President Arroyo as she noted of the Business Process Outsourcing operations of Clark firms, elevating Metro Pampanga to a third place ranking in ICT growth, nationally. Metro Manila and Metro Cebu ranks first and second, respectively.

"We are very happy Central Pampanga consisting of Clark, Angeles and Mabalacat. In fact, I congratulate Clark for your fast ICT growth, you have now 15,000 ICT workers."

"We are now number three. In other words, after Metro Manila and Metro Cebu comes Metro Pampanga. That is where the market has brought us and as far as infrastructure is concerned telecom infrastructures, infrastructure needed for a good ICT operation, BPO operation, wala nang makakatalo sa Clark. Congratulations!" Arroyo announced with great pride.

The three-day summit hosted by the Metro Clark ICT Council (MCICTC) chaired by George Sorio Sr., executive vice president of Cyber City, is in recognition of the important role of the ICT in advancing today's growing business activities here and abroad.

CDC and Cyber City are launched the summit which aims to realize President Arroyo's vision to boost the ICT industry.

Ricafort said the event is fully supported by the state-owned corporation as the Freeport is envisioned to be the center for the ICT industries and other related investment projects in the country.