Investment opportunities in the Philippines’ “alternative city” mapped out
Manila, July 2018 – Plans to position the Clark Freeport and Special Economic Zone as a regional business and investment hub were mapped out in interviews conducted by Oxford Business Group’s online broadcasting channel, Global Platform, with Udenna Group of Companies President and CEO Dennis Uy and Bases Conversion and Development Authority President Vincent Dizon.
Located at the northwest side of Pampanga province, Clark is being primed for development as the country’s future commercial and industrial center or “alternative city.” This is in line shift with plans to shift the focus away from the capital city Manila, which is now overpopulated and struggling with capacity issues.
During the interviews, which can be viewed at https://oxfordbusinessgroup.com/video/dennis-uy-president%26ceo-udenna-and-vincent-dizon-president-bcda, Uy highlighted Clark’s competitive strengths. He noted that as a freeport zone, Clark is able to offer a broad range of tax incentives to businesses and investors.
“People are looking at the advantages that Clark has,” Uy said. “Its proximity to the international airport and Subic Freeport makes Clark an ideal logistics and business hub.”
Dizon added that Clark’s extensive project pipeline reflected President Rodrigo Duterte’s plans to make infrastructure development a priority over the next five years through his Build Build Build program.
“Our estimate is in the next three years, about $4 billion in infrastructure will be allocated for this region,” said Dizon. “The Clark International Airport expansion is one critical piece of this huge plan to develop public infrastructure.”
Digital development is also high on the agenda for Clark. “The high-speed broadband infrastructure that we’re doing with Facebook is expected to be online by the second half of 2019,” Dizon noted.
Uy told Global Platform that the strong performance of the key segments of the domestic economy would help instill confidence in investors considering Clark as a location for their operations.
“There are lots of manufacturing companies already located in Clark. It is not difficult for people or businesses to locate here, especially after looking at the advantages it offers,” Uy added.
Marc-André de Blois, OBG’s director of PR and Video Content, said the interviews with Uy and Dizon showed that efforts to develop Clark into a business hub and potential global gateway were taking shape.
“Our video not only maps out the investment opportunities emerging in this important center outside of Manila but also provides valuable regional context by highlighting the additional openings that ASEAN integration is expected to generate. I’m delighted that viewers have been given the chance to discover more about the Philippines’ ambitious plans for Clark and how they can contribute to its growth story,” Blois said.
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About Global Platform
Global Platform is Oxford Business Group’s on-demand digital broadcasting channel. One of several research tools in OBG’s portfolio, the online platform has carved a niche as a leading business intelligence provider in its own right, with data verified independently by Deloitte putting its current circulation at 150,000. Global Platform provides cutting edge video interviews with top-level decision-makers giving key analysis and the latest updates from across all sectors of the global business community.
OBG’s digital content is available both on Global Platform and via major international business news outlets. OBG also has distribution agreements with Bloomberg and Eikon’s terminals, giving it access to the Bloomberg Professional Services’ 325,000 subscribers and to over 150,000 subscribers of Thomson Reuter’s Eikon terminal.
About Oxford Business Group
Oxford Business Group (OBG) is a global research and consultancy company with a presence in over 30 countries, from Asia, the Middle East and Africa to the Americas. A distinctive and respected provider of on-the-ground intelligence on many of the world’s fastest growing markets, OBG has offices in London, Berlin, Dubai and Istanbul, and a network of local bureaus across the countries in which we operate.
Through its range of products, OBG offers comprehensive and accurate analysis of macroeconomic and sectoral developments, including banking, capital markets, tourism, energy, transport, industry and ICT. OBG provides business intelligence to its subscribers through multiple platforms: Economic News and Views, OBG Business Barometer – CEO Survey, Roundtables and conferences, Global Platform – exclusive video interviews, The Report publications and its Consultancy division.
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