The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said establishing a national food hub at the Clark airport complex in Pampanga would enhance food security, boost supply chain efficiency, and stimulate economic growth.
In a statement, DTI Undersecretary Mary Jean Pacheco said that creating a food hub within the Clark Freeport Zone could be a model for developing similar facilities across the Philippines, especially in the Visayas and Mindanao regions.
“With the CNFH [Clark National Food Hub] Act, we lay the groundwork for the Clark National Food Hub—a pioneering initiative poised to revolutionize food distribution in the Philippines,” Pacheco said.
Last month, the House Committee on Trade and Industry approved House Bill No. 10678, aimed at streamlining the food logistics system.
“This pioneering hub can serve blueprint for developing similar food hubs throughout the Philippines, particularly in the Visayas and Mindanao,” Pacheco said.
The trade official also noted that the creation of the food hub aligns with the DTI’s Three-Year Food Logistics Action Agenda, which aims to revolutionize the country’s food distribution system.
This agenda focuses on reducing transport and logistics costs, increasing investments in logistics infrastructure for transportation and storage, and addressing various supply chain gaps, she said.
Meanwhile, Cagayan de Oro Second District Representative Rufus B. Rodriguez lauded the DTI for ensuring food accessibility, affordability, and availability for all Filipinos.
HB 10678 was approved after a meeting on Aug. 20.
The DTI will participate in the CNFH Technical Working Group to focus on policy development, business integration, and inter-agency cooperation.
The approved bill expands on a memorandum of understanding signed on Feb. 19, 2024, aiming to realize the DTI's farm-to-fork strategy.
It includes provisions for establishing a nationwide hub-and-spoke trading network, setting food safety and quality standards, and promoting agro-processing and value-adding activities within Clark Freeport Zone.