CLARK FREEPORT, Pampanga – As the country gears up for the stormy months ahead, business tycoon Manny V. Pangilinan is pushing for Clark Freeport as the location of a national center for disaster operations and rehabilitation.
During roundtable talks with regional press, Pangilinan said he finds the Clark Freeport to be the ideal location for the so-called National Operations Center (NOC), owing to the ideal setting of the former military airbase.
“I hope it is still Clark,” Pangilinan said after he noted that the NOC is “temporarily” placed in Makati which, he said, is earthquake-prone.
He also noted that the current building in Salcedo Village in Makati where NOC is located may be due for disposal by the owners.
The incoming Duterte government will have to be considered in pushing for NOC’s location in Clark.
“Obviously, arrangements will now have to start by the next government,” he said.
He also cited the role of former Clark Development Corporation (CDC) president Art Tugade, now incoming Department of Transportation secretary, in the talks.
“Clark is different. Maybe we can work with them to finally operationalize the NOC. It is better to be in relative safe zone,” he added.
Unlike Metro Manila, there is no known earthquake fault directly underneath Clark Freeport. Clark’s backdrop of hills and high elevation make itself safe from onslaughts of severe tropical storms and floods.
It is also known for its well-paved and wide road network, including the access to the Subic seaport via the SCTEX.
Since 2015, Pangilinan had underscored NOC’s great role in coordinating efforts to mitigate impact of disasters and conduct organized rescue and rehabilitation efforts.
The NOC is being put up by Philippine Disaster Recovery Foundation where Pangilinan serves as one of three co-chairmen. The others are Jaime Augusto Zobel De Ayala of Ayala Corporation and Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, Archbishop of Manila.
“The NOC (in Clark) shall serve as pre-disaster warning center and post disaster rehab center. Basically, the NOC will oversee (monitoring) potential threats,” Pangilinan earlier told.
“It is supposed to coordinate the private sector initiatives in this type of disaster warning and at same time, coordinate with government,” he added.
Pangilinan also cited the advantages of Clark Freeport in hosting the NOC.
“Clark is readily accessible. It has an airport and not thickly populated. And I don’t think there’s an earthquake fault there,” Pangilinan added./PNA/JMC/ZST/MDDR/PS