CLARK FREEPORT -- Clark Development Corporation (CDC) has proven its resiliency and competitiveness as the state-owned firm made significant contributions in export industry and employment in Central Luzon.
CDC President Benigno Ricafort said the corporation's resiliency, decision to redefine its goals, and build up more productive areas of collaboration with Clark stakeholders. Clark exports in the first half of the year has totaled about $891 million, which comprised 33 percent of Central Luzon's $2.7 billion total exports from 2009.
In the CDC President's report, the corporation through the Enterprise Regulatory Department reported that the first semester exports surpassed the year-ago level of about $387 million or more than a 93 percent increase this year.
The CDC is hoping that the targeted $1 billion worth of exports could be reached should manufacturers continue to post the same trend towards the second semester of the year.
The increase in exports volume this first half of the fiscal year was due to Nanox Philippines Inc.'s strong showing with more than $493 million in the first semester or an increase of 59 percent from the same January to June 2009, the ERD reported.
Yokohama Tire Phils. Inc., on the other hand, also contributed strongly in the first semester as it placed second with a $106million output-almost the same export volume last year, reports stated.
Ricafort also said that a record 58,023 employment by the end of 2009 complemented the entire region's 3,889,000 partial count on employment for the year.
At present, Clark's P6.3 billion in actual investments is 19 percent of the region's investment figure of P33.8 billion for 2009.
Clark's bigger contributions are forth coming as the global economy recovers, as good projects in the pipeline are pursued, and the number of capability-enhancing measures instituted by CDC this year brings in positive results, Ricafort said in the executive summary of his report on "Expanding Development, Changing Lives."
"Ultimately, it is CDC's performance as a development corporation that will determine the Freeport's success. It is imperative that the development in Clark continue to elevate the lives of the thousands of people gainfully employed in the zone, along with their families," he said.
He added: "A resurgent Clark Freeport Zone is merely the start. Clark proposes to be the catalyst for regional, if not national, economic development. Hence, CDC shall continue with its parallel development program which aims to uplift the standards of business in the area." (Rey Navales)