Udenna Land’s Global Gateway Development Corp. (GGDC), held the groundbreaking ceremony for Clark Global City (CGC), a 177-hectare master-planned, mixed-use development in the heart of Central Luzon.
Earlier this year, Megawide Construction Corporation, one of the leading engineering and infrastructure conglomerates in the country with construction projects in residential, commercial and mixed-use segments, was tapped as the general contractor for site development, which covers road and sewage works.
To celebrate the start of construction, Udenna Land Chairman and CEO, Dennis A. Uy, GGDC Vice Chairman and President, Wilfredo Placino, and Megawide Chairman, Edgar Saavedra, together with Clark Freeport officials and the existing real estate developers of CGC, led the groundbreaking ceremony in Clark Global City, Pampanga.
“Bold and audacious projects such as CGC can only be done by partnering with people who not only share the same vision but are also equipped with topnotch execution skills. We are honored to work shoulder to shoulder with Megawide to transform 177 hectares of land into a thriving business center and community,” shared Udenna Land Chairman Dennis Uy.
Central Luzon’s New Central Business District (CBD)
Clark has long been a destination for foreign investments, contributing significantly to the growth of Central Luzon. With CGC complementing government efforts to spread growth across the country through the Build, Build, Build program, Clark is gearing up to be the new powerhouse in Central Luzon and the country as a whole.
According to Dennis Uy, GGDC Chairman, Clark Global City is envisioned to be an outstanding business destination with close proximity to major thoroughfares and international gateways. Located within a special economic zone, it has access to a young and highly skilled talent pool – Pampanga having a population of 2.1 million, a strong labor force of about 1.6 million, and yearly graduates of about 11,000.
Uy explained, “Clark Global City will be developed into a suitable place for business, life and innovation that will attract the country’s young labor force and further improve the Philippine’s competitiveness as an ideal destination for investors.”
On the other hand, the project will benefit from the engineering expertise and construction experience of Megawide. “Megawide is proud to be working with Udenna and GGDC as contractor for the site development of Clark Global City. Through Megawide’s engineering capabilities, we will support GGDC and the Philippine Government in establishing the new Central Business District of Central Luzon”, Megawide Chairman Edgar Saavedra said. He also revealed that this is Megawide’s first site development project at this scale.
The “vertical developments” expected to rise in CGC include top-grade office buildings, upscale retail outlets, academic centers, sports centers, an urban park, an integrated resort and casino, and modern support services and amenities.
At present, 47 hectares of the 177-hectare land have been fully completed with world-class, disaster-ready horizontal infrastructures, including storm water drainage systems, an underground infrastructure network, eight road lanes with 50 meters of right-of-way priority, prime generating units and backup fuel storage.
Built with Accessibility in Mind
Massive infrastructure projects are also underway to make Clark more accessible at the same time help decongest Metro Manila. Two projects that will be completed by 2020 are the Manila Clark High Speed Rail, which will reduce travel time from Blumentritt in Manila to Clark to less than an hour, and the NLEx-SLEx Connector Road, which will connect two of the most important tollways leading in and out of Metro Manila and cut travel time from NLEx to SLEx from approximately an hour to 15 minutes to 20 minutes.
The Subic-Clark Cargo Railway, which will start construction by the first half of 2020, will link the Port of Subic in Zambales and Clark, connecting the cargo operation between Clark and Subic by rail for easier access. Another infrastructure set to be operational by 2020 is the North-South Railway, which will link Calamba, Laguna to Clark and allow people from the south to travel to Pampanga much more easily.
GGDC’s Vision
After taking over the property in 2017, GGDC now holds the lease rights for CGC until 2085. To fast-track the development of this modern metropolis with its 22-month timeline target, GGDC has been partnering with several locators that share the same vision of building this generation’s center of commerce, culture, entertainment and leisure. Other developments envisioned by GGDC to rise in CGC are a huge SM mall, a five-star hotel and an iconic tower that can rival the Macau Tower and Eiffel Tower.
“After only a year of operations under new management, GGDC has subleased over 32 hectares of land to 17 top-tier real estate developers, fully leased out West Aeropark and hosted over 15 major events including the sought after Hot Air Balloon Festival in Clark, Pampanga ,” GGDC President Placino said in remarks delivered during the groundbreaking ceremony.
He closed his remarks by addressing the existing developers of CGC, “This is really an exciting time for all our stakeholders, which is why we invite all of you to be part of this strong growth momentum. Do not be left out. Start your developments. Help us make Clark Global City a city that we can all be proud of. ”
