The Clark International Airport Corp. (CIAC) has tapped the expertise of global technology firms in the food industry to modernize the PHP8.5-billion National Food Hub inside the civil aviation complex in Clark.

CIAC shared in a statement Tuesday that it signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with global food tech companies Food Starter Philippines, Inc. and Singapore-based World Food Chain Pte. Ltd. last June 19.

FoodStarter is the local unit of Singapore-based Food Starter Pte. Ltd., a global agricultural financing and investment, farm incubator, and fundraising company.

On the other hand, World Food Chain is a global sourcing and resource platform that helps food and beverage (F&B) business owners procure their needs directly from food manufacturers and suppliers.

“This most recent MOU advances our efforts to start developing a food hub ecosystem aggregator which will ensure sustainable food security solutions,” CIAC president Arrey Perez said.

Perez added the 62-hectare Clark National Food Hub project aims to replicate the state-of-the-art agro-logistics system of food hubs in advanced Asian countries, raise the standards of food safety, and provide better opportunities for the local farmers, fisherfolk, and growers.

The CIAC said under the MOU, the FoodStarter and World Food Chain would provide technical and advisory assistance on transport, trade and investment, warehousing, and storage infrastructure development of the proposed National Food Hub.

The project supports the food security agenda of the Marcos administration.

Moreover, the companies, with their vast network, will also help CIAC to connect with various logistics hubs in Asia.

This is the third MOU that CIAC signed for the National Food Hub.

CIAC told the Philippine News Agency that it is in the process of finalizing two deals for the project. (PNA)