NEW CLARK CITY, Tarlac (PIA) — The infrastructure projects and approved investments under the Marcos administration are expected to generate thousands of job opportunities in the Subic Bay Freeport Zone, said Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Chairperson and Administrator Eduardo Jose Aliño.
During the Build Better More Infrastructure Forum of the Presidential Communications Office held recently in New Clark City, Aliño said their current 160,000 workforce is projected to increase to 200,000 by 2028 due to the positive economic impact of the projects and investments.
Among these is the agreement between Cerberus Capital Management and HD Hyundai, which will restart the shipbuilding industry in the freeport, he said.
“This latest partnership will once again put the freeport and the country on the list of top shipbuilding nations, and more importantly, it will create thousands of new job opportunities for our countrymen,” he added.
Also, the P4.2 billion expansion of Nidec Subic Philippines Corporation, dubbed Project Kinematix, will open 5,000 jobs until the final incentivized year, Aliño announced.
He likewise said the P2.3 billion expansion project of Sanyo Denki Philippines requires an additional 1,500 workers to manufacture uninterrupted power supplies, cooling fans, servo amplifiers, and stepping motors.
Aliño also reported on the plan to connect Subic Bay, Clark, Manila, and Batangas through high-impact infrastructure projects to accelerate growth in critical industries and generate economic opportunities.
He said that in support of the national government’s efforts for Luzon Economic Corridor development, the SBMA is initiating the construction of a multi-purpose port terminal, a 570-meter wharf with a depth of 12.9 meters at Lower MAU, to provide an additional capacity of 2.5 million metric tons of bulk cargo.
He added that these infrastructure projects and investments are aligned with the national government’s goal to expand and sustain the “Golden Age of Infrastructure” under the Build Better More Program.
“Our big-ticket projects, initiatives, and undertakings are being implemented in support of the national government’s thrust to improve the competitiveness of the freeport while at the same time uplifting the quality of the lives of our workers and stakeholders,” he said.
Aliño also said the Center for Excellence training facility, which is currently being constructed, will help ensure the sustainability of industries and develop the competencies and talent of the workforce.
“We hope to provide relevant training to our workforce through technical education and skill development. The P21 million facility will be completed early next year,” he said.
He added that the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development will have a housing project for employees under the Pambansang Pabahay Para sa Pilipino program.
“In addition to housing, we are looking into building dormitories for our freeport workers. These dormitories will be built close to the industrial centers to lessen the cost for companies and workers while at the same time reducing the number of cars and commuters on our roads,” he said.
The dormitory project has a P960-million budget allocation and is expected to be completed by 2028. (CLJD/TJBM, PIA Region 3-Tarlac)
