Clark International Airport Corp. (CIAC) teamed up with Philippine Pharma Procurement Inc. (PPPI) to establish a pharmaceutical logistics and distribution center within the Clark Aviation Capital (CAC) at Clark Freeport Zone.
The two groups signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to strengthen Clark Aviation Capital’s transformation into the country’s premier logistics hub.
CIAC president Jojit Alcazar said both CIAC and PPPI would further explore investment plans, joint ventures or public-private partnership (PPP) options, while ensuring compliance with pharmaceutical industry regulations and cold chain management standards.
“There’s a mutual appreciation of Clark’s distinctly viable location to build a pharmaceutical logistics hub with air cargo handling capabilities, main reasons which moved us swiftly to formalize this understanding,” Alcazar said.
PPPI president Maria Blanca Kim Lokin said Clark’s strategic location provides a sprawling and uncongested complex in close proximity to Clark International Airport, major seaports and national road networks in a disaster-resilient environment.
“This opportunity provides unparalleled advantage for PPPI’s logistics operations and medical supply distribution, and ideal for us to build an integrated modern warehousing with cold chain solutions,” she said.
Lokin said the partnership would support President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.’s vision to establish pharmaceutical ecozones with the end in view of improving access to medicines and reducing the country’s dependence on imported pharmaceutical products.
“The developments to be jointly made by PPPI and CIAC will be instrumental in the roll-out of the Botika at Bakuna Para Sa Mamamayan Program,” she said.