-
The 4th Central Luzon Transport & Trade Conference & Exhibit underscored Central Luzon’s emergence as the Philippines’ premier logistics and industrial hub
-
Around 200 government leaders, investors, and industry stakeholders convened under the theme “Unlocking High-Value Opportunities in Central Luzon Corridor”
The 4th Central Luzon Transport & Trade Conference & Exhibit closed May 29 at Widus Hotel Clark with a clear verdict: Central Luzon is the Philippines’ fastest-rising logistics and industrial corridor. Organized by PortCalls and the Philippine Multimodal Transport and Logistics Association, the event drew around 200 government leaders, investors, and industry stakeholders to examine what the region’s accelerating growth means for trade, infrastructure, and investment.
Central Luzon posted 4.5% GRDP growth in 2025, outpacing the national average of 4.4% even as national GDP moderated to 2.8% in Q1 2026. The region accounts for 11.1% of national output—third-largest among all regions—with manufacturing leading the sectoral mix at 25% and construction at 17%, according to Department of Economy, Planning, and Development Region 3 director Nerrisa Esguerra.
Clark Development Corp chairman Edgardo Pamintuan welcomed delegates, putting a spotlight on Clark Freeport Zone’s pivotal role in regional development and investment opportunities.
Keynote speaker Secretary Ernesto Perez, director general of the Anti-Red Tape Authority, framed regulatory reform as the foundation of regional competitiveness. He highlighted Program NEHEMIA—the National Effort for Harmonization of Efficient Measures in Inter-related Agencies—which streamlines processes across trade and transport agencies. He also cited Executive Order No. 41, which prohibits pass-through fees on national roads, as a direct lever for cutting logistics costs across the country.
BCDA’s sweeping infrastructure agenda for the Clark-Subic corridor took center stage in the presentation by Erwin Kenneth Peralta, BCDA vice president for investment promotions. Highlights included the Pax Silica initiative—a Philippines-Japan-United States cooperation covering a 4,000-acre industrial hub focused on semiconductors, advanced manufacturing, and data infrastructure. Peralta also cited a 66-hectare hyperscale data center with 600 MW of capacity being developed with Ayala Land, a $155-million Runway 3 expansion at Clark International Airport, and a North-South Commuter Railway extension that will cut Clark-to-Calamba travel time in half. Lufthansa Technik’s $400-million MRO facility and FedEx’s expanded sorting facility round out a growing roster of global aviation logistics anchors.
Clark International Airport is positioning itself as Asia’s next aviation hub. Evangeline Tejada, vice president for commercial development of Luzon International Premiere Airport Development Corp., reported that the airport rebounded to 2.75 million passengers in 2025. Cargo volumes surged 61% on international routes and 40% domestically, driven by e-commerce growth and China charter operators.
READ: Clark airport operator allots 30 hectares for Cargo City
Subic Bay International Terminal Corporation (SBITC), operated by International Container Terminal Services, Inc., has become a critical gateway for North and Central Luzon, according to ICTSI Philippines vice president for the Philippines Portfolio Phillip Marsham. The terminal handles up to 600,000 twenty-equivalent units annually across a 26.32-hectare facility, with truck dwell times averaging just 37 minutes and tariffs running 30% below Manila port rates. Investments through 2032 include four new net-zero-emissions rubber-tired gantry cranes (Q4 2026), gate automation (Q1 2027), and four post-Panamax quay cranes—backed by a sustainability pledge of 26% GHG reduction per container move by 2030 and net-zero by 2050.
Subic Bay Freeport is the country’s only multimodal logistics hub combining port, airport, shipyard, and industrial facilities, Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority senior deputy administrator for Operations Ronnie Yambao reported. By end-2025, SBMA hosted 1,915 locators, employed 171,653 workers, and had accumulated US$10.58 billion in cumulative investments. Anchor projects under development include the 200-hectare Redondo Peninsula Industrial Estate (₱18.2B), the 570-meter Boton Wharf redevelopment (₱10B), and a new Cruise Ship Terminal (₱1.2B jetty plus ₱9B reclamation). Major investors include Hyundai Shipyard (₱13.4B, 4,085 jobs), Nidec (₱4.2B, 5,000 jobs), and Sanyo Denki (₱2.3B, 1,500 jobs). Executive Order 110 further enhanced Subic’s edge with a 35% port tariff cut, free e-bus service, and a 50% reduction in road-user fees.
Agricultural logistics also featured prominently. Department of Agriculture Assistant Secretary for Logistics Daniel Atayde said the DA is accelerating cold storage and agri-logistics infrastructure nationwide, with Central Luzon positioned as a key hub for agricultural trade and food security. Atty. Luke Jickain of the DA’s Agricultural and Fisheries Logistics Office fleshed out the operational roadmap: a nationwide network of food hubs, cold chain facilities, and digital tracking systems anchored by the Registry System for Agri Storage (RSAS), which provides real-time traceability to cut spoilage, stabilize supply, and keep food prices in check.
Central Luzon has become the country’s top investment magnet, attracting ₱33.1 billion in foreign pledges in Q1 2026—78% of the nationwide total, according to Colliers Philippines research director Joey Bondoc. His presentation, “From Rice Fields to Industrial Yields,” traced the region’s shift from agriculture to manufacturing and logistics. Industrial supply is set to expand by 930 hectares between 2026 and 2028, anchored by Ajinomoto (US$157M facility, operational 2028) and Coca-Cola (42-hectare plant, one of its largest globally). The office sector is equally active: Pampanga ranked second among provincial office markets in 2025, recording 40,000 sqm in net take-up and 16.8% vacancy, driven by outsourcing firms including Concentrix, Cloudstaff, and Asurion. On the residential side, 3,400 new condominium units are slated for delivery from 2026 to 2029.
Customs modernization closed the day’s presentations. Chris David Demaro, assistant chief of the Bonds Division of the Bureau of Customs-Port of Clark, highlighted strong revenue performance—₱5.511 billion collected in 2025 against a target of ₱4.856 billion—and a digital transformation agenda that includes QR codes, deliverables trackers, process automation, and an integrated ClarkApp for customs services. Border protection operations yielded 163 warrants worth ₱189.22 million in 2025 alone.
At the BOC-Port of Subic, OIC Deputy Collector for Operations Leo Abella, PhD, reported that the agency collected a record ₱934.4 billion nationally in 2025, with Subic contributing through enforcement operations that seized ₱61.71 billion worth of goods across 1,024 cases. Digital tools including eTravel, E2M risk selectivity, and ASEAN e-document exchange have cut cargo dwell times significantly. A BOC-SBMA memorandum of agreement signed in April 2025 secured a 25-year customs tenure in Subic Freeport, while trusted trader programs now cover 273 Super Green Lane traders and 11 newly accredited Authorized Economic Operators, including Sony, Toyota, and Coca-Cola.
Liza Almonte, publisher of PortCalls, closed the conference, noting “Central Luzon is not just the heartland of Philippines — it is one of its prime engines.”
Panel discussions were moderated by Jemmalene Rubiano, director of business development–transport at GHD, and Francis Norman Lopez, president and CEO of InterCommerce Network Services, Inc.
