The development of the Clark Free Port Zone, particularly its Civil Aviation component, must be in harmonious conjunction with the development of the areas surrounding and adjunct to the special economic zone. Specifically, these are Angeles, Mabalacat, Porac, Bamban, Capas, including by extension and influence Magalang, San Fernando and Tarlac. This is just to refer to these areas by the name of their towns and local goverments. The actual playing field is really the total site and situation of a greater territory comprising Pampanga, Bulacan, Tarlac, Bataan and Zambales.
During the past eleven years that I have been part of the top management of the corporations ( Clark Development Corporation for 5 years, Clark Polytechnic for 1 year and Clark International Airport Corporation for 5 years) which have been governing the Clark Free Port, I have seen 4 CDC presidents, 3 CiAC presidents and a musical chairs of various Board directors. Likewise during the previous 3 years as a CDC consultant while being a professor at UP Clark and AIM, I worked with 3 other CDC presidents. During this period, I must have seen at least 5 master plans providing changing approaches as well as a déjà vu of various projects and management rhetoric. The branding, logos, tag lines and vision/mission statements must have been changed at least 5 times. The result is the present chopsuey of development, underdevelopment and misdevelopment that is now clearly obvious in Clark. Look around and you will find examples of each type of outcome. It is likewise pathetic that this has manage to inbreed itself into the human resource and organizational cultures of CDC and CIAC.
The area outside Clark is governed by LGUs with politicians who have been elected but with most having managed to remain in power in accordance with the type of politics and feudalism dominating our political structures. There have been some flashes of attempts of change and reform but these have mostly been shortlived due to naivite and the people’s own herd mentality. It is, however, gratifying that the private sector and advocacies, by virtue of the pursuance of their economic self interests have managed to bring in progress and development. This is a resiliency most particularly admirable in the light of the Mount Pinatubo aftermath. There is hope.
Clark cannot be developed according to First World global standards, with high technological infrastructures and processes and production and consumption activities oriented to the standards and levels of expats and the local middle class. The outside Clark area cannot at the same time be shaped into a colonial third world providing Fields Avenue type of services and a local population supplying low level manpower skills. These enclaves will not be acceptable nor will they persist.
There is, I remember, theMetro Clark Advisory Council, which was organized for communication and coordination between Clark and its publics. The Subic- Clark Alliance Development (SCAD) was intended to master plan and coordinate the lands connecting Subic and Clark along the Subic Clark Tollroad. Great! What happen?
The present administration of PNoy, it seems, has been focusing its attention on the past administration and prefers to manage by always referring to the rear view mirror. Well, go ahead use the past and learn not to repeat its mistakes. Clark’s past is scattered all over the place. But for heaven’s sake, move ahead! It is now been more than 500 days!
