A JAPANESE manufacturer is seeking to invest $200 million (around P11.73 billion) to set up a factory that will make Pokémon-themed stuffed toys in the Clark Freeport Zone.
The factory is expected to generate 6,000 new jobs, Clark Development Corp. (CDC) President and Chief Executive Officer Agnes VST Devanadera told reporters on the sidelines of the Philippines-Korea Business Forum on Wednesday.
The lease agreement for the factory will be signed this month, she said.
“These will be exported all over, since there is an increasing demand for Pokémon products,” Ms. Devanadera said.
The products will be made under license from the owners of the Pokémon video game and anime franchise.
The manufacturer, which was not identified, will be allowed to sell 30% of its output in the Philippines, she noted.
Last month, the CDC signed a lease agreement with South Korea’s Ozoo Development Corp. for a P4-billion tourism project within the Clark Freeport Zone.
Ms. Devanadera said Ozoo is currently finalizing the development plan for the project.
The project, which will rise on a 200-hectare mixed-use estate, will have a golf resort and hotel and villa components.
The golf course will be developed by the KX Group, which is behind the 72-hole golf course in Yeongjongdo Island.
Once completed, the development is expected to generate about 120 direct jobs and 450 indirect jobs.
It will integrate smart city technologies and environment-friendly design, including sustainable infrastructure, efficient resource systems, and regulated land-use practices.
The National Commission on Indigenous Peoples and local leaders were consulted for the lease agreement of the project.
The CDC’s pipeline includes over 30 key investment projects and expansions within the Clark Freeport Zone, Ms. Devanadera said. — Beatriz Marie D. Cruz
