OATHTAKING. Vince Dizon (right), chair of the Clark Development Corp. (CDC), administers the oath of board member Manuel R. Gaerlan as the new president of the CDC during a regular board meeting held at the Clark Special Economic Zone in Pampanga on Thursday (Jan. 14, 2021). Gaerlan immediately met with the CDC team to set his plans in motion. (Photo by CDC)
CLARK FREEPORT, Pampanga – The Clark Development Corp. (CDC) is bent on giving businesses in this economic zone a boost in support of national government efforts to ease the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.
Newly-appointed CDC president Manuel R. Gaerlan, who met with the management team immediately after taking his oath on Thursday, cited the need to focus on the “economic reset, rebound, and recover” while other government agencies implement measures on how to curb Covid-19.
Gaerlan asked his team to stay inspired by the CDC’s direction to be a “modern, sustainable aerotropolis and the preferred meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) and tourism destination in the Asia-Pacific region by (the) year 2030."
He encouraged everyone to go back to the orientation of competing against other countries in the region.
“Clark is not in the battle between cities and provinces. It is not competing against Manila. Clark’s competition is Indonesia, Vietnam, and even China,” Gaerlan said in a statement.
All efforts and resources, he said, should be directed toward achieving this vision and in recovering grounds lost to other countries.
Gaerlan has directed the use of modern technology in CDC’s systems, methods, and procedures, paying attention to the ease of doing business, and enhancing the welfare of the human resource of both CDC and the locators.
He also said he plans to meet with stakeholders in and around the zone.
Gaerlan said he is set to hold an audience with the indigenous peoples' communities and develop activities through which they could participate in and benefit from the economic activities in Clark.
Secretary Vince Dizon, Bases Conversion and Development Authority chief and deputy chief implementer of the National Policy Against Covid-19, is acting chairman of CDC.
Gaerlan is a summa cum laude graduate of the Philippine Military Academy. He holds a Masters in Management (with distinction) from the Asian Institute of Management. (PNA)
