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The Bases Conversion and Development Authority and the Tarlac provincial government recently concluded a consultation with local leaders, business groups, the academe, civil society, and other stakeholders on the proposed Clark Advanced Manufacturing Park in New Clark City
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The multi-sectoral dialogue forms part of BCDA’s continuing stakeholder engagement as it develops CAMP within New Clark City under the Philippines’ participation in the global Pax Silica initiative
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CAMP is being planned as an advanced manufacturing ecosystem within New Clark City, with the aim of positioning the Philippines to participate in higher-value industries linked to semiconductors, advanced technologies, critical minerals, and global supply chains
The Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) and the Provincial Government of Tarlac recently concluded a consultation with provincial leaders, business groups, the academe, civil society, and other stakeholders on the proposed Clark Advanced Manufacturing Park (CAMP) in New Clark City, Tarlac.
The talks covered the socioeconomic opportunities and environmental and social safeguards on the project.
The consultation held on August 19 provided a venue for stakeholders to raise questions, share local perspectives, and discuss how the proposed advanced manufacturing ecosystem can contribute to Tarlac’s long-term economic development while addressing environmental, social, and community considerations, BCDA said in a statement.
The multi-sectoral dialogue forms part of BCDA’s continuing stakeholder engagement as it develops CAMP within New Clark City under the Philippines’ participation in the global Pax Silica initiative.
BCDA said the consultations are intended to bring local perspectives into project planning, particularly on environmental protection, community concerns, land use, infrastructure, employment, and opportunities for local businesses.
Pax Silica is a U.S.-led, multi-nation economic and security coalition formed to secure supply chains for artificial intelligence, semiconductors, and critical minerals. The Philippines formally joined the initiative as its 13th member.
“The Clark Advanced Manufacturing Park is being developed here in Tarlac, so it is only natural that there are questions. BCDA welcomes those questions. We have been listening to concerns about opportunities, the environment, communities, land, jobs, and business, and we are committed to making sure that development is responsible and grounded in the interests of the province,” BCDA president and chief executive officer Joshua Bingcang said.
READ: US firms looking to invest in Pax Silica site within New Clark City
During the consultation, BCDA executives presented the project’s development framework, planned infrastructure, regulatory and environmental compliance processes, and proposed safeguards. Discussions also covered the infrastructure and support systems needed to support advanced manufacturing and connect CAMP to the wider economic ecosystem of New Clark City and the Luzon Economic Corridor.
CAMP is being planned as an advanced manufacturing ecosystem within New Clark City, with the aim of positioning the Philippines to participate in higher-value industries linked to semiconductors, advanced technologies, critical minerals, and global supply chains.
The project is expected to create opportunities for high-skilled employment, local enterprises, and supply chain development while strengthening linkages among industry, academe, and the local workforce.
“Tarlac plays a central role in CAMP,” Bingcang said. “The success of this project must also translate into opportunities for Tarlaqueños. We want local talent, businesses, institutions, and communities to have a meaningful place in the growth that this development can create,” he added.
Pax Silica includes the development of a proposed AI-native industrial acceleration hub in the Luzon Economic Corridor (LEC), with New Clark City identified as its strategic location.
The initiative supports the current administration’s economic agenda of attracting high-value investments, strengthening the country’s industrial base, creating quality jobs, and moving the Philippines further up the global value chain. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has identified LEC as a key platform for expanding advanced manufacturing, electronics, and critical mineral processing.
Within this broader national framework, BCDA said CAMP is envisioned to help translate these opportunities into investments and economic activity in Central Luzon, while creating pathways for Filipino workers, businesses, researchers, and institutions to participate in emerging industries.
BCDA emphasized that stakeholder engagement will continue as project planning and development milestones progress. The agency will also maintain dialogue with provincial and local governments, civil society, communities, academe, business groups, and other stakeholders to help ensure that CAMP’s development is responsive to local concerns and aligned with applicable laws, regulations, and environmental and social safeguards.
“Responsible development means listening, addressing concerns, and working with the communities and institutions that will be part of the project’s long-term future,” Bingcang said.
