A technology hub will rise inside the New Clark City, the flagship project of the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA).

In a statement Thursday, the BCDA said it has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Tarlac provincial government to develop a technology hub in a 47-hectare parcel of land at New Clark City.

The MOU was signed by BCDA president and chief executive officer Joshua Bingcang and Tarlac Governor Susan Yap at Camp John Hay, Baguio City last August 11.

Under the MOU, the allotted land for the technology hub inside the new smart and green metropolis in Central Luzon shall be used to house complex technological facilities like hyperscale data centers as well as establishing and institutionalizing a hub for agro-industry, research and development, and logistics.

The deal also grants usufructuary rights to the Tarlac provincial government for the use of the parcel of land at New Clark City.

“This milestone is a product of years in the fields of ICT (information and communications technology), big data, and R&D, among others,” Bingcang said.

He added that the officials of the Tarlac provincial government became instrumental in realizing BCDA’s dream in developing New Clark City as the country’s model for future smart cities.

“It is our pride that New Clark City, a smart and sustainable metropolis, is strategically located in Tarlac. Through this partnership with BCDA, we will be bringing in investments and eventually opening up employment opportunities for the people of Tarlac,” Yap said.

New Clark City is BCDA’s largest land development with a total of 9,450 hectares. This is the country’s first smart, green, and resilient metropolis outside the National Capital Region. (PNA)