Tuesday, January 15, 2008 Clark firm credits Arroyo for Freeport growth
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- Clark Development Corp. (CDC) president Levy Laus said President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is responsible for the strong investment and growth performance in the Clark Freeport Zone because of the great economic recovery achieved by her administration.
"Ultimately, the credit for the remarkable performance of Clark Freeport goes to her because it rode on the strong economic performance she made possible through her economic policies and reforms," Laus said.
Laus also cited Secretary Edgardo Pamintuan, Senator Manuel "Lito" Lapid, former senator Ralph Recto and other national and local officials as well as the directors and employees of the state-run firms in Clark, CDC and the Clark International Airport Corp. (Ciac) for their contributions to the transformation of Clark into a prime global investment and tourism destination.
Lapid and Recto, Laus said, were instrumental in the passage of two laws that gave Clark its Freeport status and granted tax amnesty to Clark locators. He also cited the contributions of business and other groups and individuals in achieving the current status of the former US military base.
Laus explained the six-point gains made in the former American military base since 2006 when he was appointed CDC president by the President.
These include the conversion of Clark from an economic zone into Freeport zone, and the granting of tax amnesty to Clark locators, the entry of Texas Instruments with its P 1 billion initial investment, the construction of a Clark interchange for the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEx), the world-class upgrading of the Mimosa golf course, the joint management agreement for the vast sub-zone area for the Aetas and the "rebranding" of Clark as world-class investment and tourist destination.
"We're bullish about Clark with all these in sight," Laus said, noting that even the President was impressed by feedbacks she received from various sectors here and abroad over the developments in the Freeport Zone.
Laus revealed that in a meeting with Arroyo in Malacañang last week, the President took note of the business climate in Clark now in reaction to a positive remark made by a businessman.
According to figures made available by CDC, investments in Clark in 2007 rose by more than 400 percent over the 2006 level, mainly due to the coming of Texas Instruments (TIs) which pushed total investments in Clark to nearly P90 billion.
"Definitely, the coming of TI in Clark was a high-water mark because it put Clark prominently on the global investment map, considering that TI is among the top four semi-conductor companies worldwide," Laus said.
Laus recalled that even President Arroyo had described TI's investment in Clark as one of the biggest in Philippine history. With TI and other investors coming into the picture, Laus projected employment at Clark to jump from the current 55,000 level to 58,000 with TI suppliers, call centers and others already set to begin operation anytime soon.
The CDC chief said the joint management of the 10,000 hectares plus sub-zone area will bring in more investors and should provide huge economic and social benefits to the Aeta tribes, which had lay claim to the ancestral land.
"It's a historic turn-around for both the government and Aetas which had been locked in conflict over ownership of the area for the longest time," Laus said. "The breakthrough will open unheard of gains, opportunities and prospects for the indigenous people," he said.
Laus said the Mimosa golf course is currently undergoing massive upgrade to attain world-class rating in line with the vision to make Clark the golfing capital of the Philippines, if not the world.
He said the decision by the President to construct a Clark interchange for SCTEx would be a tremendous benefit to Clark locators, motorists, tourists and other stakeholders not only in Clark and Subic but the Central and North Luzon corridors.
