THE Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) and the Supreme Court of the Philippines signed on Thursday, July 4, a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for the allocation of a 5.8-hectare area inside the National Government Administrative Center (NGAC) in New Clark City for its judiciary offices.
Gracing the event was Chief Justice Lucas Bersamin. The signing was led by Court Administrator Jose Midas Marquez, who was authorized to sign by the Court en banc, and BCDA president and CEO Vivencio Dizon.
Witnessing the signing were lawyer Laura C.H. del Rosario, deputy clerk of Court and Judicial Reform Program Administrator, and BCDA executive vice president and chief operating officer Aileen Anunciacion Zosa.
The signing of the MOU jumpstarts a further agreement between both parties for the development of the Supreme Court’s new facilities.
The 5.8-hectare lot will be used, among others, as a regional office of the Supreme Court with an archive center, data center, and a training center with living quarters, and for its attached agencies such as the Philippine Judicial Academy, the Judicial and Bar Council, and the Mandatory Continuing Legal Education Office.
“The concept of the NGAC is a step in the right direction for the Philippines,” Chief Justice Bersamin said in a previous statement. “The Supreme Court welcomes the opportunity to become a stakeholder and locator,” the Chief Justice added.
Under the MOU, the Supreme Court’s lot will be surrounded by a residential area, a business center, and a proposed governance innovation hub. Supreme Court’s new office in NGAC will also be accessible to the 12.05-kilometer road from New Clark City to the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX).
“We’re fortunate that the highest tribunal is joining us with the vision for New Clark City,” Dizon said. “This huge support adds value to Clark’s steady growth which will further expand with the development of connectivity infrastructure, such as the Clark International Airport new terminal building and the construction of railways,” he added.
The 200-hectare mixed-use government center in New Clark City is an integral part of President Duterte’s vision to accelerate economic growth in the regions by decentralizing state offices in Metro Manila and solving the congestion problem in the capital.
Phase 1A of NGAC involves the construction of world-class sports facilities to be used in this year’s hosting of the South East Asian Games. The facilities include the 20,000-seater Athletic Stadium, 2,000-seater Aquatic Center, and an Athletes’ Village.
As the country’s first smart, green, and resilient city, New Clark City is envisioned to be a world-class government hub designed to ensure continuous business operations and services for the people in case of disaster or national calamities. (PR)