Clark National Food Hub gains Congress support, seen to boost agribusiness

The proposed Clark National Food Hub bill advanced in the House of Representatives, boosting the Philippines’ bid to become a leading agribusiness and logistics center in the Asia-Pacific region.

Clark International Airport Corp. (CIAC) President and CEO Arrey Perez said that once enacted into law, the 62-hectare national food hub at the Clark Civil Aviation Complex in Pampanga would benefit the agricultural sector and support the country’s overall growth.

The House Committee on Trade and Industry approved on Aug. 20 House Bill 10678, also known as “An Act Establishing the Clark National Food Hub, Appropriating Funds Therefor and for Other Purposes.”

Cagayan de Oro Second District Rep. Rufus Rodriguez, a proponent of the bill, said the measure would address the country’s food security concerns by effectively streamlining the 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 standardize 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. The Clark National Food Hub is designed to achieve these objectives for the Filipino people,” he said.

The bill tasks the CIAC to oversee the development, functioning and supervision of the civil aviation complex encompassing the Clark International Airports and the location designated for the establishment of the national food hub.

“As soon as this proposal becomes a law, it will bolster agrologistics as support to our country’s robust agricultural production,” Perez said.

“It will also enhance freight transport services, mobility, and access to key economic zones, toward seamless logistics and efficient supply chains. This means higher farm productivity and sustained agribusiness, and higher income for Filipino farmers,” he said.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., alongside US President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, initiated a steering committee earlier this year. The committee aims to facilitate infrastructure development along the Luzon Economic Corridor (LEC), with a focus on enhancing connectivity between Subic Bay, Clark, Manila and Batangas.

Secretary Frederick Go, Special Assistant to the President for Investment and Economic Affairs who chairs the LEC committee, identified food and agriculture as one of the priority industries for investments.

“We continue to pursue initiatives that contribute to increasing agriculture production, and improving the food logistical chain. The Clark National Food Hub is a step in this direction, and we look forward to its successful establishment as a sustainable food security solution,” Go said.

Perez said the project aims to tackle concerns about food security and logistics costs by offering reliable, sustainable and updated solutions for meeting the demand and distributing agricultural products from Luzon to both local and international markets.

Key elements of the Clark National Food Hub include advanced food storage warehouses, cold storage facilities, processing plants, administrative headquarters, logistics infrastructure and wholesale and retail market areas.