Business and Economy
New Clark City to house gov’t resiliency offices
New Clark City logo (Photo: New Clark City/Facebook)
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia — Aside from decongesting Metro Manila, the New Clark City in Central Luzon will house offices for the government’s resiliency program, MTD Philippines, Inc. President Patrick Nicholas David told reporters.
In a media roundtable here Wednesday, David said that among the first movers in the National Government Administrative Center (NGAC) will be agencies that are the first responders during disasters and calamities.
“According to BCDA (Bases Conversion and Development Authority), they are discussing with Integrated Operations Center, the IOC. This is primarily for the government resiliency program,” he said.
David said these government agencies include the Department of the Interior and Local Government, Office of the Civil Defense, and Department of Social Welfare and Development.
“During (the discussion of ) our proposal, we said, Manila sits on the fault line, the West Valley Fault, wherein Phivolcs (Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology) is saying that it can move anytime. So, learning lessons from (Typhoon) Yolanda, when we have the disaster in Palo, Leyte, everybody’s the victim,” he said.
“If it happens to Metro Manila, this is our solution. We have our alternative satellite that can bring up the operations of the government within hours, minutes,” he added.
The New Clark City is a safe ground for the government’s disaster response agencies as it has low risks and damages from inclement weather, with its lowest point at 56 meters above-sea-level (MASL), higher than Metro Manila’s highest point of 43 MASL.
