Clark ecozone posts 25% export growth

The Clark Special Economic Zone reported a 25-percent increase in exports to P19.7 billion last year from P15.8 billion in 1999, Rogelio L. Singson, president and chief executive officer of the Clark Development Corporation (CDC) reported yesterday.

According to Singson, last year’s notable P3.9-billion increase in exports was due to the impressive performance of the electronics and garments sectors.

Singson, who is also the chairman of the Bases Conversion Development Authority (BCDA), said there was a 37-percent growth in exports of electronics from Clark-based firms to P12 billion last year from a mere P8.8 billion in 1999. Electronics accounted for the bulk or 61 percent of Clark’s total exports.

Last year’s biggest electronics manufacturer/exporter was Sampo Technology (Phil.) Inc. Singson said the Taiwanese firm accounted for 48 percent or P9.4 billion of Clark’s total exports. Sampo, he said, manufactures about 80,000 color computer monitors a month.

The leading garments manufacturer/exports on the other hand, is Luen Thai Philippines Group (L & T) which accounts for 29 percent of Clark’s garment exports.

The L & T Group, Singson reported, registered nearly P2.3 billion in exports last year or 12 percent of the zone’s total exports.

L & T’s 2,800 strong workforce manufacturers such signature labels as Polo Ralph Lauren and Tommy Hilfiger.

Singson expressed optimism that over the next four years, Clark’s 269 locator firms would pump in P72.6 million in investments in the zone.

Singson said that of the 269 firms inside the 4,400 hectare (SEX, 114 are involved in Industrial projects, 61 in commercial projects, 58 in service-oriented projects, 13 in aviation-related projects, 11 in utilities, nine in tourism-related projects and three in housing.