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The Clark International Airport Corp. and the University of the Philippines Public Administration Research and Extension Services Foundation signed an MOU for technical assistance to establish a food hub at the Clark Civil Aviation Complex
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UPPAF will also assist CIAC in the multi-modal transport planning and development in support of the food hub
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The Clark National Food Hub will be a 64-hectare agriculture trading hub inside the Clark Civil Aviation Complex that will provide a comprehensive range of services such as food warehousing, cold storage, and processing
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The project is estimated to cost $152 million via public-private partnership or joint venture mode and is expected to be completed in 2028
The Clark International Airport Corp. (CIAC) and the University of the Philippines Public Administration Research and Extension Services Foundation (UPPAF) on March 18 signed a memorandum of understanding for technical assistance and expert advice in the establishment of a 64-hectare Clark National Mega Food Hub at the Clark Civil Aviation Complex.
UPPAF will also assist CIAC in the multi-modal transport planning and development in support of the project.
UPPAF is a beneficiary of a grant from the United States Agency for International Development for its Regulatory Reform Support Program for National Development Project, a policy regulatory reform program to support the promotion of regional development.
The food hub actualizes the first strategy under the Department of Trade and Industry’s (DTI) three-year food logistics action agenda, which is to revolutionize the food distribution network in the country from farm to fork.
The plan was approved by President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. in August 2023, and is aimed at transforming the country’s food distribution system, reducing transport and logistics costs, and ensuring food supply chain efficiency.
The first of the six strategies seeks to establish food hubs outside of Metro Manila as aggregation points for fresh farm produce.
“The mega food hub will have cutting-edge facilities at a prime location in proximity to the Clark International Airport (CRK) with cargo, logistics and warehousing capabilities, plus a distinct advantage by having a seamless road network and a nearby seaport in Subic that allows for the viability of a large- scale agriculture resource operation,” CIAC president Arrey Perez said in a statement.
“The project’s success will no doubt increase overall agricultural productivity, revitalize our country’s exports sector, and boost the operations of the Clark airport,” Perez added.
The project is estimated to cost $152 million via public-private partnership or joint venture mode and is expected to be completed in 2028.
The food hub will support the national government’s vision to make the Philippines a leading agricultural resource hub in the region and the world.
It will provide a comprehensive range of services such as food warehousing, cold storage, processing, marketing and trading for both local and international markets which are all governed by rigorous research and quality control.
