Following the approval of House Bill No. 10678, also known as the Clark National Food Hub (CNFH) Act, the Department of Trade and Industry lauds its House Committee approval, stating that such an act improves food security, enhances supply chain efficiency, and promotes economic growth.

“With the CNFH Act, we lay the groundwork for the Clark National Food Hub—a pioneering initiative poised to revolutionize food distribution in the Philippines,” said DTI Undersecretary Mary Jean Pacheco about the bill that aims to establish a major food hub in Clark, Pampanga.

 “This pioneering hub can serve blueprint for developing similar food hubs throughout the Philippines, particularly in the Visayas and Mindanao,” she added.

Further, Pacheco emphasized that the establishment of the food hub aligns with the DTI’s Three-Year Food Logistics Action Agenda.

Also, the agenda seeks to revolutionize the Philippines’ food distribution system, reduce transport and logistics costs, increase investments in logistics infrastructure on transportation and storage, and address other supply chain gaps. 

The House Committee on Trade and Industry, chaired by Rep. Ferjenel G. Biron, approved the bill after a deliberation held on 20 August.

The bill’s principal authors are Representatives Rufus Rodriguez (2nd District, Cagayan de Oro), Maria Angela Garcia (3rd District, Bataan), and Anna Victoria Veloso-Tuazon (3rd District, Leyte).

The DTI is set to participate in the CNFH Technical Working Group, focusing on key areas such as policy development, business integration, and inter-agency cooperation.

The approved bill builds upon the memorandum of understanding signed on 19 February between the DTI, the Department of Agriculture and the Clark International Airport Corporation, aimed at realizing the farm-to-fork strategy of the DTI.

It encompasses provisions for creating a nationwide hub-and-spoke trading network, establishing food safety and quality standards, and promoting agro-processing and value-adding activities within Clark Freeport Zone.