CLARK FREEPORT – Gov. Lilia “Baby” Pineda has asked the Clark Development Corp. (CDC) officials to help her and Candaba Mayor Jerry Pelayo establish a night market here designed to attract local and foreign tourists.
Pineda on Saturday visited this freeport to inspect the building of the Farm Fresh market operated by Pelayo for over six years.
It sells Candaba food products and other popular Pampanga delicacies.
Pineda met with CDC President and CEO Felipe Remollo and asked him to support the night market at Pelayo’s area in front of the former offices of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).
Pineda said the market will feature the province’s finest products, notably food and furniture.
“It will operate on a 24-hour basis and will have entertainments as well as live bands and cultural presentations,” said Pineda in the dialect.
She added that “we must take advantage of the flights at Clark” to attract tourists and “let them stay around and spend in Pampanga.”
Remollo told Pineda that CDC “would even look for a bigger and better place” for the night market.
“We just have to do the usual process of asking approval from the CDC board and letting the CIAC know about your plans,” said Remollo in the meeting with Pineda, Pelayo and other CDC officials, including CDC Executive Vice President Philip Jose Panlilio.
Remollo said the provincial government may spend more if they will repair the building of the farm fresh market. He said the market may be converted into parking lots and area for the wet market section.
Clark International Airport Corp. (CIAC) President and CEO Victor Jose Luciano, in a text message, said “I support the plan of Pineda.”
“I even have place for him at the aviation complex,” added Luciano.
The CIAC top official also said that he agreed with Pineda that the market will attract more tourists noting that an average 15,000 passengers weekly use the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA).
