Clark, Pampanga. INQUIRER FILES
The Clark International Airport Corp. (CIAC) on Thursday cheered the bill filed at the House of Representatives that aims to create a national food hub at the Clark civil aviation complex.
CIAC president and chief executive officer Arrey Perez said the approval by House Committee on Trade and Industry of House Bill No. 10678, otherwise known as “An Act Establishing the Clark National Food Hub Appropriating Funds Therefor and for Other Purposes, is “a patriotic act that will benefit the country’s agriculture sector and the nation.”
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The committee is chaired by Iloilo 4th District Rep. Ferjenel Biron. The principal authors of the bill are Rufus Rodriguez (2nd District, Cagayan de Oro), Maria Angela Garcia (3rd District, Bataan) and Anna Victoria Veloso-Tuazon (3rd District, Leyte), while the co-authors are Rep. Salvador Pleyto (6th District, Bulacan) and Rep. Mark Go (Lone District, Baguio City).
In a statement, Rodriguez cited an urgent need to address the country’s food security issues through a systematic streamlining of food distribution process.
“Establishing a national food hub in Clark will play a crucial role in shortening the supply chain from producer to consumer (and) will not only standardized logistics but also ensure the efficient movement of food products, thereby enhancing overall efficiency,” Rodriguez said.
“The initiative is further reinforced by the Philippines’ development plan, which includes food security measures (and so) the Clark national food hub is designed to achieve these objectives for the Filipino people,” he added.
The CIAC has been mandated to develop, operate and manage the civil aviation complex surrounding the Clark International Airport, including the site where the 62-hectare national food hub will be established.
Earlier in May, the Department of Trade and Industry said that it was working together with Dutch officials for the facility to help ensure the success of the P8.7-billion project.
The national food hub is also one of three major infrastructure projects under the state-owned Bases Conversion and Development Authority that will form part of the envisioned new economic corridor in the Philippine’s largest region. It is expected to improve the storage, as well as the market and logistics linkages between producers and institutional buyers in the area.