{
  "id": 1305875,
  "title": "Clark’s P4 billion food hub partially ready by 2027",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/16/clarks-p4-billion-food-hub-partially-ready-by-2027",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-08-16T16:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Philippine Star Business",
    "slug": "philippine-star-business",
    "url": "https://www.philstar.com/business/2026/08/17/2549710/clarks-p4-billion-food-hub-partially-ready-2027"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Department of Agriculture (DA) aims to commence partial operations of the P4-billion Clark National Food Hub by the end of 2027, stated Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. The construction of this mega food hub in Pampanga is being accelerated, with partial operations anticipated by the year's end. The DA and the state-owned Food Terminal Inc. (FTI) inked formal agreements last August 12, which covered the funding, development, and operations of the colossal food hub.\n\nThe initiative seeks to address the critical gap between farm production and markets, where inefficient logistics drain farmers' earnings, discourage private investments, and inflate costs for consumers. Spanning 40 hectares, the food hub is a collaboration between the Clark International Airport Corp. (CIAC) and FTI, with the goal of centralizing food distribution, reducing logistics expenses, and enabling farmers to connect directly with markets. By consolidating food aggregation, storage, processing, distribution, and marketing under one roof, the project aims to optimize efficiency and sustainability.\n\nThe planned facilities within the food hub include food and cold-storage areas, processing spaces, food safety laboratories, export processing services, and wholesale and retail zones. The FTI president, Joseph Lo, mentioned that the corporation has been preparing for the project since last year. They have assembled a specialized team to design the facility's operation, studying food hub models and logistics practices abroad. Their team has visited Thailand, France, Spain, the Netherlands, and Japan to examine best practices that could be tailored to the Philippine context.\n\nFTI will be responsible for operating, managing, and maintaining the facility, guaranteeing the efficiency and longevity of its operations. Meanwhile, the DA will oversee the project's implementation and monitor the construction progress. Upon completion, the food hub is projected to create approximately 2,500 jobs and open up new opportunities within the agriculture and fisheries sector.",
  "summary": "The Department of Agriculture (DA) is targeting to start partial operation of the P4-billion Clark National Food Hub by end-2027, according to Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}