The Clark Freeport Zone (CFZ) is a vast (4,440-hectare
Main Zone, 26,700-hectare Sub Zone) approximately 100km north of
Manila on the island of Luzon. Formerly the United States’ largest
military base in the Pacific, CFZ is an ideal place for trade and
recreation with its world-class infrastructure, state-of-the-art
facilities and superb amenities. These include a multi-mode, high
capacity fiber optic communications system, a modern power plant, and
water and sewerage systems managed Clark Viola.
Clark Development Corporation (CDC) is a
government-owned and controlled corporation that manages the Clark
Freeport Zone. Constituted like a private-sector company, and
given an extraordinary charter, CDC enjoys governmental powers inside
the zone, including the authority to exercise police powers.
CFZ is strategically located at the heart of the
Asia-Pacific region, one of the most dynamic regions today. By flying
time, it is only around 1 hour from Hong Kong, 2 hours from Taipei, 3
hours from Kuala Lumpur, and 4 hours from Singapore, Tokyo and Seoul.
Liberal and generous investment incentives
supplement these infrastructure and locational advantages to provide
the ideal competitive advantages to CFZ investors. Clark is managed
as a separate custom territory, ensuring free flow of articles within
the zone. All importation of machinery, equipment, raw materials,
supplies, and other articles including finished products are free of
all taxes and duties. Firms located inside the zone are also exempt
from all local and national taxes, paying instead a fixed fee of five
percent (5%) of Gross Income Earned (provided locators export at least
70% of produce annually per BIR requirement, otherwise regular
corporate income tax will be collected. One hundred percent (100%)
foreign equity is allowed for many types of industries including
manufacturing, tourism and service-oriented businesses. A wide array
of deductions is permitted. Non-fiscal incentives include fast and
liberal custom procedures, unlimited purchase and consumption of tax
and duty-free goods within the zone, freedom form foreign exchange
controls, liberal banking and finance incentives, and special visa
status for investors.
Gross Income Earned or GIE refers to gross sales or gross revenues
derived from any business activity, less cost of sales, cost of
production or direct cost of production or direct cost of services
(depending on the nature of the business; refer to Allowable
Deductions by Industry), excluding any deduction for
administrative expenses and incidental losses incurred during a given
taxable year.
Clark Freeport Zone is easily reached
either by land or air. Cebu Pacific now regularly flies Cebu-Clark,
Clark-Cebu via DMIA, and more flights and destinations are being
readied. Air Shuttle Services are also available through SEAir, Inc.
and Omni Aviation Corporation. From the airport, taxi and PUJ
services are available to bring you to your desired destination. By
land CFZ is also easily accessible. From the North Luzon Expressway,
exit through Dau Exit (83A), turn left at MacArthur Highway, turn
right at the Manuel A. Roxas Ave. passing the Bayanihan Park, and go
straight ahead passing the Clark Main Gate. CFZ is difficult to miss
should you decide to visit using public transport. From any northbound
bus lines, get off the Dau-Mabalacat Bus Terminal, proceed to the
MacArthur Highway, and take a Checkpoint –Dau PUJ, straight for the
Clark Main Gate.
For assistance, get in touch with the Tourism and
Special Events Section of the CDC Marketing Department. Click
here for your downloadable location map.
As of FEBRUARY 2011, there are
NINE HUNDRED FIFTY FIVE (955) investor-firms in the Clark Freeport
Zone. Two Hundred Thirty Seven (237) firms are involved in Industrial Projects,
Seventeen (17) are
in Agro-Industrial Projects, One Hundred Thrity One (131) in Commercial Projects,
One Hundred Eighteen (118) in IT-Related Projects,
Two Hundred Sixty Four (264) in Service-Oriented
Projects, Thirty Eight (38) are in Aviation-Related Projects,
Fifty Six(56)
are in Tourism Estate Development Projects, Sixty Two (62) in
Housing,
and Twenty One (21) in Utility Projects. The latest Business Development
Update and CFZ Locators’ Directory provide more useful
information regarding the current CFZ investment portfolio. Click here for your downloadable Business Development Update.
Clark's power supply is sourced directly from
NAPOCOR (NPC) via National Transmission Corporation
(TransCo) Mexico substation in Mexico, Pampanga. Two
(2) Parallel lines at 69KV with the capacity of 80MW
each. Clark’s peak demand as of March 2010 is about
46.704MW.
Average Rate: Php 5.47/kwh (As of Nov. 18, 2010)
Source: CEDC:
Water
Existing water supply facilities consist of water
wells with a total capacity of 25,400 cu. m./day.
Storage is through 5 tanks with a total capacity of
10,985 cu. m. The sewerage system consist of two (2)
lift stations, and a 126km industrial waste
pipeline, oxidizing pond for sewerage treatment. The
water and sewerage system will be expanded to
accommodate future requirements of Clark.
Rates:
Industrial/Commercial
First 0-10 cu. m. Php 218.21
Next 11-20 cu. m. Php 23.49
Next 21-30 cu. m. Php 24.88
Above 31 cu. m. Php 26.26
Residential
First 0-10 cu. m. Php 109.11
Next 11-20 cu. m. Php 11.78
Next 21-30 cu. m. Php 12.44
Above 31 cu. m. Php 13.09
Sewer charges - 40% of total water bill
Source: CWC (as of Nov. 18, 2010)
Telecom
Telecommunication facilities are kept at the highest
efficiency level by creating liberal business
environment open to telecom providers that can
extend the best information communication services
including dual fiber optic backbone and digital
exchange system for advanced telephony, cellular and
internet connectivity. Our service providers have an
extensive network infrastructure, connecting more
than 200 countries and territories worldwide through
their international gateway facilities and major
cable systems.
(As of Nov. 18, 2010):
Source: PLDT Clark
Rates:
Commercial
Php 936.41/month
Residential
Php 542.19/month
National
PhP 3.75/min.
International
US$ .36/min.
Fuel/Petroleum, Oil & Lubricants (POL) Depot
Clark is fully equipped to serve the fuel
requirements of the airport locators and even the
external market with the existence of a 550,000
barrel Clark Fuel/Petroleum Oil and Lubricants (POL)
Depot consisting mainly of a 22-hectare facility
with a 42-kilometers, 20-cm diameter existing
underground Subic-Clark fuel pipeline which assures
reliable supply even during bad weather.
Waste
Disposal System
The
CDC, through a service contract with the Metro Clark
Waste Management Corp., manages and operates the
Clark Integrated Solid Waste Management Facility for
CFZ. The project is the first and only real sanitary
landfill in the Philippines to date. All investors
in Clark are assured of proper management and safe
disposal of their garbage and can boast of full
compliance to the national environmental regulatory
and international certification requirements.
Garbage
Fees
Category
Waste Generation
Garbage Fee
A. Large Generators
>30 tons/month
Php 1,200/ton
B. Medium Generators
2 to 30 tons/month
Php 1,200/ton
C. Small Generators
<2 tons/month
Php 2,500/month
D. Residential / Small Office
<1 ton/year
Php 2,000/year
Manpower Rates
For non-agricultural firms (Manufacturing Firms,
Duty-Free Shops, Hotels and Recreational-related)
Minimum of P302.00 or US$ 3.83 per day for those
employed in establishments with total assets of P30
Million or more
Minimum of P294.50 or US$ 6.66 per day for those
employed in establishments with total assets of less
than P30 Million.
For retail/service establishments (Small
Firms Only)
Minimum of P291.00 or US$ 6.57 per day for those
employed in establishments with 16 or more employees
Minimum of P277.00 or US$ 6.26 per day for those
employed in establishments with less than 16
employees.
(as of May 27, 2010)
BRIEF SUMMARY OF
PHIL. LABOR STANDARDS
Foreign Investors shall abide by the Philippine
Labor Code and Labor Standards. A brief summary of
Philippine Labor Standards are as follows:
1. Working Hours
• Normal Hours of work per day is 8 hours (not
including 1 hour break for meals)
• Normal number of workdays per week is 6 days (24
hours rest required after 6 consecutive workdays
• Compulsory overtime/rest day work is allowed under
certain circumstances (ex. non-hazardous work, work
with perishable goods, etc.)
The infrastructures and incentives offered in
Clark strongly complement the requirements of investments in
Information, Communications Technology (ICT);
Electronics design and assembly;
Aviation-related projects;
Commercial trading;
Agro-industrial; leisure and tourism;
Residential facilities and
Institutional research and training facilities.
Investments in aviation-related projects are made
particularly more promising by the 2,500-hectare Diosdado Macapagal
International Airport (formerly the Clark International Airport)
located within the zone. As business activities become global,
demand for fast, agile and flexible mode of transporting cargo and
personnel makes immediate access to airports becomes more important.
With DMIA, the zone becomes an ideal trading or transit point to the
rest of the country, as well as to Asia, the United States, Europe
and the rest of the world. Very few economic zones offer such an
advantage.
The 2,500-hectare Diosdado Macapagal
International Airport (DMIA) located inside the Clark Freeport Zone has a 4E classification that meets International Civil
Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards for Category I precision
approach runway. The complex has two 3.2 km. Parallel runways that
can accommodate wide-bodied aircraft with ease; 4 parallel and 9
connecting runways; and, wide ramp and apron facilities. It also has
a Category IX Crash, Fire and Rescue Capability.
Access to DMIA, already designated by the
Philippine Government as one of the country’s premier gateway
site, significantly enhances businesses’ speed and agility to
respond to the dynamic demands of today’s markets.
Yes, and to address these concerns of investors
and exporters conducting business inside the zone, the Clark
Development Corporation, in coordination with various government
agencies, established a One-Stop-Action-Center (OSAC). The OSAC
facilitates the prompt evaluation and approval of proposed
investment projects for CFZ within a 30-day period. Aside from
this, the OSAC also facilitates the immediate processing of permits,
licenses and other pertinent documents needed by existing locators
in their operations by housing agency desks of concerned government
agencies like the DTI, SSS, DA, DOLE, DOH, HDMF and TESDA. One of
its special features is the One-Stop-Export Documentation Center (OSEDC),
which is an on-line processing center to ensure expeditious
processing of export documents. At OSEDC, all concerned agencies are
housed under one roof to facilitate prompt processing of export.
As a former US military base (the biggest outside
of continental America), CFZ inherited the uncompromising security
facilities in and around the borders of the zone, no matter how
vast. Without disturbing its plush and scenic surroundings, 42
kilometers of concrete perimeter fencing and Philippine National
Police "Kababayan" centers in all the gates assure the
safety and security of the economic zone. These security
infrastructures are complemented by the competent security force and
personnel of the Security and Fire Department of the Clark
Development Corporation. The presence of the Philippine Air Force
Base, the "Air Force City", inside the zone helps provide
further buttress the zone’s capability to guarantee peace,
security and safety.
CFZ offers a wide array of world-class leisure
and recreational facilities right within the zone such as a 36-hole
championship golf course, residential and vacation villas,
specialty shops and restaurants, duty free shops, leisure parks and
casinos. It is also an ideal place to explore the rest of what the
region offers from trek to the world-famous Mt. Pinatubo, trip to
Baguio and the rest of the Cordilleras, enjoy the beaches of
Pangasinan and La Union provinces, since the place is the converging
point of the region.
Pampanga, the place and its people have long
welcomed travelers, visitors and tourist from all over, and various
hotels, inns and villas in and around the zone are primed to host
you. Inside Clark, the Holiday Inn Resort Clarkfield, or the Fontana
Resort and Country Club may be your home away from home. Outside the
zone, lodging facilities are also available to suit various
preferences and means. Pre-arranged tours are also available.
Practically the best of Luzon is easily
accessible from the Clark Freeport Zone. Travel in time to
Vigan, and see the renowned Spanish architecture, cobbled streets,
good food and friendly folks of one of the oldest, and
better-preserved towns in the country. You can frolic in the beaches
of La Union, Pangasinan and the Cagayan Valley in no time since
these destinations are only a few hours away from Clark. Baguio, and
the best of the Cordilleras can easily be access from Clark.
The rest of the country also became more
reachable from Clark’s Diosdado Macapagal International Airport
now that Cebu Pacific, the country’s second largest flag carrier,
flies regular flights to Cebu. More flights and destinations are now
being finalized.
There are numerous residential facilities and
housing units from within and outside the zone. Along Ninoy Aquino
Avenue, CFZ, locators can opt to lease housing units ready for
occupancy or undertake the rehabilitation and refurbishing any of
the many housing units in the area, the cost of rehabilitation
counted as monthly lease rentals for the rehabilitated property.
Housing units ready for occupancy are available at the CFZ Redwood
Villas; term of lease of a minimum of two years is often required.
Access to these villas can be coursed through a number of private
developers of these units or, the Marketing and Customer
Services Department of CDC. In response to the expected upsurge in
the demand, a good number of premium residential estates and
subdivisions along the North Luzon Expressway are now being
developed.
Since provisions for academic, research and
training facilities are made in the Master plans for both CFZ and
the DMIA, access to quality schools and universities will not be a
problem today, and will even be enhanced in the future. Among the
number of learning institutions located inside the zone are the
University of the Philippines Extension Program which offers both
undergraduate and graduate courses, and a satellite unit of the
world-renown Asian Institute of Management which has started
offering its Graduate Studies in Entrepreneurship. Industry-based
technical and vocational courses are the initial offerings of the
Clark Polytechnic. A good number of colleges and universities
surrounding CFZ offer a wide range of courses from vocational to
degree courses such as engineering, medicine and allied courses,
accountancy, computer science and other ICT-related courses.
