Hitachi Ltd. of Japan is exploring investment opportunities at the Clark Green City in Pampanga being developed by the Bases Conversion and Development Authority, officials said over the weekend.
Hitachi chairman and chief executive Hiroaki Nakinishi told reporters during a press briefing the company was interested in providing water, power and transportation services at the Clark Green City.
“There are so many things to consider, water, utilities, how to connect [Clark] to other cities,” Nakinishi said.
BCDA president and chief executive officer Arnel Casanova said the agency was open to a possible partnership with Hitachi to help develop the Clark Green City.
Cassanova said Hitachi had not “submitted a proposal yet” and said “they still need to conduct a study” to determine final investment opportunities.
Nakinishi said Hitachi planned to boost its presence in the Philippines where the company had been doing business since the 1930s.
The company started operations in the Philippines with the delivery of generation components for hydro and thermal power projects.
Hitachi Asia Ltd. Philippine branch general manager Mitsuhiko Shimizu said the company’s strategy could include the launching of new businesses like power transmission and home appliances and participating in urban developments.
“Hitachi is back and active again. After almost 50 years, Meralco’s power business was revived with the delivery of GIS [gas insulated switchgear] and GCB [gas circuit breaker] to Meralco. We also relaunched our home appliances in 2015,” he said.
Hitachi conducted a forum to showcase the company’s broad range of solutions, which combine infrastructure and advanced information technologies.
The forum is the third leg in Southeast Asia following successful events in Singapore in 2014 and Myanmar in 2015.
Hitachi is increasing emphasis on Southeast Asia as it aims to increase its overseas sales ratio to over 50 percent.
Hitachi, whose headquarters is located in Tokyo, has over 2,700 employees in the Philippines and businesses in Subic, Cavite province, Muntinlupa and Makati.
