CLARK FREEPORT—Clark Development Corp. president and chief executive Manuel Gaerlan outlined Monday innovations to support economic recovery and improve the investment climate in the Freeport zone.
“There is a need to boost the investors’ confidence in Clark. CDC has to re-focus its attention to economic reset, rebound and recover to arrest the effects of the global pandemic,” Gaerlan said in a statement.
He said the recovery of businesses in Clark would redefine Clark’s global competitiveness through best services that are at par with international standards or in any other countries in Southeast Asia.
“Clark is not in battle between cities and provinces. It is not competing against Manila. Clark’s competition is Indonesia, Vietnam, and even China,” he said.
Gaerlan encouraged members of the CDC management team to come up with a comprehensive business recovery plan and contribute to the national government in cushioning the effects of COVID 19 with the economy.
The CDC aims to make the Freeport a modern and sustainable aerotropolis and preferred meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions and tourism destination in the Asia-Pacific region by 2030.
Gaerlan said Clark Freeport was capable of competing with other investment destinations in other Asian countries.
Gaerlan also encouraged his team to incorporate modern technology in the state-owned firm’s system, methods and processes.
He said Clark would be able to attract more investments and achieve its vision of becoming a premier aerotropolis and a preferred MICE and tourism destination across Asia Pacific Region.
Gaerlan said that apart from refining business activity procedures, he would focus on enhancing the welfare of investors and employees.
He is set to meet with stakeholders of Clark that include locators, local officials, media, partner agencies and other groups from public and private sector.
Gaerlan, who finished Master of Management with distinction at the Asian Institute of Management in 2002, took his oath as CDC’s top executive last week.
