More government offices are keen to locate in New Clark City in Central Luzon as part of the administration’s vision to decongest Metro Manila.

During the Sulong Pilipinas virtual forum Monday, Presidential Adviser for Flagship Programs Vivencio Dizon said at least six government facilities will be rising in New Clark City before the Duterte administration ends.

Within the 9,450-hectare land development project of the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA), the agency has allotted 220-hectare National Government Administrative Center to house satellite offices of government agencies.

“The New Clark City’s Government Center has already attracted major government agencies to relocate in New Clark City,” said Dizon, who is also the BCDA president and chief executive officer.

Rising soon

Dizon said the Department of Agriculture (DA) will start to construct this year the Agro-Industrial Hub and National Seed Technology Park.

The DA will be occupying 30-hectare land in the New Clark City.

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas will also put up a minting and currency production facility in New Clark City.

The BSP will begin construction in a 30-hectare land by fourth quarter of this year or early 2022.

The central bank’s minting and currency production facility is currently in East Avenue in Quezon City.

The Supreme Court will also build its first Judiciary Regional Center to be located in 5.8 hectares of land in BCDA’s land development in Central Luzon.

Construction will start next year, Dizon said.

The National Bureau of Investigation and other justice agencies will also move into its huge facility in New Clark City, occupying 30 hectares of land.

A three-hectare land is also allotted for the National Academy of Sports to train athletes to help them transition from high school to university, then to the national training pool.

The government will also locate its first Virology Science and Technology Institute of the Philippines in New Clark City.

Dizon said this will be crucial for the country for its future pandemic response.

“The President already signed an executive order (EO) mandating government agencies to begin the process of relocation. But we have to understand that the process of relocation is not easy and it’s not possible to do that in one go… That is why the initial recommendation under that EO is to relocate initially with satellite offices,” the BCDA chief added.

In November 2021, President Rodrigo Duterte signed EO No.119 directing all departments, bureaus, and offices under the executive branch to put up their field offices at the NGAC.

The Department of Transportation was the first mover among government agencies to relocate in New Clark City. (PNA)