Clark Freeport, Pampanga—The former largest military installation outside the US mainland is now being envisioned as the National Operation Center during calamities.
Businessman Manny Pangilinan, co-chairman of the Philippine Disaster and Recovery Foundation, said that Clark is the ideal place for a disaster and rehabilitation center because of its location.
During a media forum here, Pangilinan, who is also the chairman of PLDT-Smart, said that the former air base has a backdrop of hills and high elevation making itself safe from the onslaughts for severe tropical storms and floods.
Since 2015, Pangilinan has underscored NOC’s great role in coordinating efforts to mitigate the impact of disaster and conduct organize rescue effort.
Unlike the present center of the foundation which is located in Salcedo Village in Makati, Clark is also known for its well-paved and wide road network including the access to the Subic seaport via SCTEX.
“Clark is readily accessible. It has an airport and is thickly populated and I don’t think there is an earthquake fault here,” he said.
Other co-chairmen of the foundation are Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala of Ayala Corp. and Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, archbishop of Manila.