Disaster operation unit in search of new home

Businessmen Manuel V. Pangilinan has urged the incoming administration to push forward with the government’s plan to designate Clark Freeport in Pampanga as the location of a national center for disaster operations and rehabilitation.

A statement issued by state run Clark Development Corp. (CDC) quoted Pangilinan as saying that he found Clark Freeport to be an ideal location for the National Operations Center (NOC), owing to the ideal setting of the former military airbase.

Pangilinan said he was hopeful the Duterte administration would consider pushing for NOC’s location in Clark.

Pangilinan said the NOC was just “temporarily” placed in Makati which was also prone to earthquake as with the rest of Metro Manila. The current building where the NOC was located, might also be due for disposal by the owners.

“Clark is different.  Maybe we can work with them to finally operationalize the NOC. It is better to be in relative safe zone,” Pangilinan said. “Clark is readily accessible. It has an airport and not thickly populated. And I don’t think there’s an earthquake fault there.”

Unlike Metro Manila, there is no known earthquake fault directly underneath Clark Freeport, according to CDC. Also, Clark’s backdrop of hills and high elevation also make it safe from the onslaught of severe tropical storms and floods. It is also known for its well-paved and wide road network, including the access to the Subic seaport via the Subic Clark Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX). Amy Remo