AT LEAST FIVE more government offices are being considered for transfer to Clark, Pampanga over the next five years, in a bid to develop the area into a viable growth center outside Metro Manila.

Aside from the Department of Transportation (DoTr) which has already transferred its head office to Clark, the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) plans to tap the Department of Science and Technology, Department of Justice, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Office of Civil Defense and Climate Change Commission to relocate to New Clark City (NCC).

“So those are the first government agencies that we want to locate in New Clark City. We are trying to consolidate all of them,” BCDA Senior Vice-President for Business Development and Operations Joshua M. Bingcang told BusinessWorld in an interview.

Spanning 9,450 hectares, NCC was formerly known as Clark Green City under the previous government.

On July 28, the DoTr started transferring its first batch of employees to Clark Freeport Zone, around two hours away from its previous office at the Columbia Tower in Mandaluyong City. The transfer however was met with protests from employees, citing the unavailability of public transport as well as the additional costs for housing, among others.

Mr. Bingcang however noted that the government has support programs to facilitate the move.

“Of course there are support mechanisms being provided by the government. The Civil Service allows for flexible time. There’s also a four-day work week policy in which case you have one more day with your family. And there’s also free transportation being provided by DoTr,” he explained.

The transfer of government agencies forms part of the first of three phases of NCC’s development, which has a timeline running to 2022. The first phase also includes the start of the land development of Filinvest Land, Inc.’s 288-hectare business district and the construction of educational institutions.

“These are the initial catalysts for business activities — 288 hectares by Filinvest, the institution, and then the government sector,” Mr. Bingcang said.

The government agencies will be located within the government center which the BCDA will take charge of constructing in order to achieve uniformity of design.

Meanwhile, educational institutions will include campuses of the University of the Philippines, Philippine Science High School (PSHS), and potentially a grade school of Ateneo de Manila University.

“We have held final discussions with Ateneo. They want a bigger property for their long-term plan in New Clark City, the same size as the campus in Katipunan… given that UP will be there first and Pisay (PSHS)… they would have to start to create their own niche which is grade school,” Mr. Bingcang said.

The government wants to establish Clark as a business district to help decongest Metro Manila. In order to facilitate movement from the capital to Clark, a number of infrastructure projects are now underway, including the Malolos-Clark rail link, a North-South Commuter Railway System that will be linked to the Philippine National Railway. NCC will also be connected to the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway and North Luzon-Tarlac-Pampanga-La Union Expressway. — Arra B. Francia

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