The Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) and the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) here last week to further spur the flagship Luzon Economic Corridor (LEC) project designed to supercharge Central and Southern Luzon into a world-class industrial hub.
Under the agreement, the SBMA allocated an 800-square meter residential lot at the Kalayaan Heights to serve as workspace for BCDA employees involved in the Subic-Clark-Manila-Batangas (SCMB) Railway Project and the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTex) interchange expansion.
BCDA President and Chief Executive Officer Joshua M. Bingcang, who signed the MOA with SBMA Chairman and Administrator Eduardo Jose L. Aliño, said the prepositioning of BCDA staff in Subic would also allow the agency to monitor and mobilize its assets in nearby Bataan province for the LEC program.
The multi-billion-dollar LEC project will connect the ports of Subic Bay, Clark, Metro Manila, and Batangas to accelerate infrastructure, supply chain resilience, and economic development in Luzon.
Originally starting as a trilateral initiative by the Philippines, the United States, and Japan, the LEC has expanded to include eight other nations that pledged to contribute funds, technology, and private sector investments to the project.
Bingcang said the LEC project is expected to further boost investment inflows and increase personnel movement and operational demands in and around the Subic-Bataan-Clark growth area. Aliño meanwhile said that the BCDA-SBMA agreement signifies Subic’s full support to the LEC project. ‘This partnership is more than just us lending you a parcel of land. It is a commitment to building [something that is] vibrant, supportive, and sustainable,’ the SBMA chief said.
Aliño added the arrangement supports inter-agency cooperation in advancing national government infrastructure priorities and strengthening the BCDA’s operational presence within the Subic-Clark-Bataan development axis.
Prior to this, Aliño has discussed Subic’s role in the LEC program, particularly the railway project that will connect Subic with Clark, Manila, and Batangas ports, with Australian Ambassador to the Philippines Marc Innes-Brown, who visited Subic on June 2.
Australia has joined the LEC initiative last May, and has reportedly offered framework support and expertise under Australia’s specialized Partnerships for Infrastructure Program, as well as AU$45 million (P1.9 billion) under a bilateral economic program.
Last month, Aliño also met with US Ambassador Heather Variava, who is senior advisor and US head of delegation for the LEC Steering Committee, and discussed LEC-related infrastructure projects in Subic.