Palace overhauling top management of Clark firm?

CLARK FIELD, Pampanga — Malacañang is reportedly poised to overhaul the top management of the state-owned Clark Development Corp. (CDC) which runs the Clark special economic zone.

This, following the appointment of CDC executive vice president Jose Victor Luciano as the new president of the Clark International Airport Corp. (CIAC), a subsidiary of the CDC.

According to insiders, CDC president and chief executive officer Antonio Ng is set to be replaced by Pampanga businessman Levi Laus, while another Capampangan, architect Nestor Mangio, is being considered to take over Luciano’s post.

Ng, however, told The STAR yesterday he was not aware that he would be replaced.

Secretary Edgardo Pamintuan, chairman of the Subic-Clark Alliance Development Council (SCAD), could not confirm Laus’ appointment.

"The talk (about Laus’ appointment) has been circulating since about a month ago," he said.

A source in the Presidential Management Staff (PMS) said their search and selection group was still reviewing Laus’ appointment.

Mabalacat Mayor Marino Morales, one of President Arroyo’s close local government advisers, said he has also heard that Laus would replace Ng.

But he added that he was not aware if Malacañang has already signed the Pampanga businessman’s appointment papers.

The STAR tried to get in touch with Laus through his mobile phone, but he did not answer the calls.

CDC sources, who asked not to be named, however, claimed that the President has signed Laus’ appointment which will take effect on Sept. 15.

Sources in the group of Mangio, a well-known architect who owns the Lakeshore residential resort in San Fernando City, said he has informed Malacañang that he was not interested in the CDC’s second top position.

Reports of changes in the CDC leadership have prompted CDC personnel to urge the President to remove "overstaying" members of the CDC board of directors.

The employees, who requested anonymity, claimed that some board members "have outlived their usefulness and have even become barnacles to the development of the Clark economic zone."

The other day, Ng himself announced the appointment of Luciano as the new president of the CIAC, replacing Danilo Francia who was transferred to the Mactan airport in Cebu.

In a press statement, the CDC said the President signed Luciano’s appointment last Aug. 17.

Luciano was also named director of the CIAC board.

The CDC credited Luciano for the "mounting Manila flights" of Asiana Airlines and for "bringing in various passenger and cargo airlines to the DMIA."

The airlines include Air Asia, Tiger Airways, China Rich, Far Eastern Airlines, Thai Air, and Trans Global.

The CDC added that Luciano "vigorously led the campaign for the implementation of an open skies policy" for Clark, an initiative that led to the issuance of Executive Order No. 500 and Executive Order No. 500-A, which "liberalized the air transportation industry in the Philippines."