Food hub project rolls out in Clark

The government is taking a major step toward strengthening the country’s food security as it is now ready to begin the development of the P3.6-billion large-scale food hub complex that will rise in Clark, Pampanga.

- By DEXTER BARRO II

Both state-run Food Terminal Inc. (FTI) and Clark International Airport Corp. (CIAC) signed on Monday, Oct. 27,a memorandum of agreement (MOA) to kickstart the project’s development.

Under a 25-year lease agreement with CIAC, FTI seeks to develop a 46-hectare (ha) property that would serve as the primary agricultural trading center for northern Luzon.

As envisioned, Clark food hub will combine trading, food storage, processing, logistics, and agri-tourism facilities all under one roof.

The facility will also feature a Halal-certified zone and dedicated spaces for businesses under the government’s One Town, One Product (OTOP) program, which promotes local livelihoods, innovation, and sustainable growth.

FTI, a state-run firm under the Department of Agriculture (DA), plans to start construction work for a 10-ha section of the project starting early next year.

Under the proposed P6.793-trillion 2026 national budget, the government has earmarked P2.1 billion for the project next year.