Travels and Others: June 2020

Saturday, June 20, 2020

Is Clark Going to Be the Next Capital of the Philippines?

Clark, formerly a U.S. military facility, is found in the provinces of Pampanga and Tarlac. It is known as the Clark Freeport and Special Economic Zone. It is a 314 square kilometer property which was placed under the Philippine Economic Zone Authority in 2006 granting tax and duty exemptions to export company locators operating in the said economic zone.

It has seen the boom in construction of different locators which house factories, warehouses, offices and technological establishments that made Clark their hub. In recent years, there has been an increased number of locators from other countries in the said economic zone. Some have even transferred their main offices to Clark.

Of course, local companies are also given slots to cater to the needs of the public. There is the Laus Group which caters to the automobile needs of the people in nearby provinces. There are also malls in the property, the most prominent of which is SM City Clark which sits near the entrance gate in going inside Clark.

The Clark International Airport was once the hub of the American military when it was still its base. Now, the said airport has become a hub to Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific Air and Air Asia Philippines. They fly from Clark to many destinations locally and internationally. Several international airlines ply the Clark route from their respective countries and the capacity of the airport is nearing its maximum. In a few months, the Clark International Airport Terminal 2 is set to break ground to accommodate the growing number of passengers utilizing the airport.

In earlier days, two leisure parks cum resorts were established namely the Mimosa Leisure Estate and Fontana Leisure Park and Resort. They provided time sharing amenities which included the use of villas for a short period of time, the use of resort facilities, casinos, use of golf courses, seminars & conventions and the like.

Now, several 4 and 5 star hotels have mushroomed for the influx of tourists who now frequent Clark. Most of these establishments have casinos and offer different events to the delight of their guests. Hotels such as Park Inn, Quest Hotel, Midori Hotel, Marriott Hotel and others are for everyone to choose from.

In an effort of the Duterte administration to decongest Metro Manila, the Department of Transportation initiated its main office to Clark. Expectedly, other offices will follow the footsteps of DoTR.

Clark's hosting of the 2019 Southeast Asian Games is a proof that the government is serious in its bid to make it as a major player in the country's economy and other activities. With the world-class stadium, aquatics center and athlete's village built for the said Southeast Asia biennial sport spectacle, other events will soon follow.

Recently, artists came up with scales on where Clark goes into the future and how it will look like. It is intended to become the government center of the Philippines and eventually, become its new capital. With the current problems we are experiencing in Metro Manila, I would not mind if Clark City will come into fruition.

Credit to the owners of all the photos.