Clark Freeport to build P207.5M innovation center

Clark Freeport—A P207.5-million center is set to rise in this Freeport, aimed at enhancing the industry-relevant skills of Clark's workforce.

The proposed Regional TVET Innovation Center (RTIC) was formalized last Friday, 8 November, at the Royce Hotel and Casino by signing a deed of usufruct led by Clark Development Corporation President and CEO Atty. Agnes VST Devanadera and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Director General Jose Francisco Benitez.

Devanadera highlighted that the partnership with TESDA will bridge the skills gap by aligning workforce capabilities with industry needs.

"TESDA is very much alive. TESDA is the answer to the gaps that we have identified," she said. "We look forward to TESDA's programs being integrated with the programs in the Clark Freeport Zone so that the entire business ecosystem will be completed. It is only in this kind of dynamic and innovative partnership that we can move on."

The RTIC will modernize training programs in Warehouse and Logistics Management and Big Data Analytics, featuring advanced facilities such as intelligent warehousing areas, electronics and robotics labs, fabrication workshops, and incubation spaces for startups. It will also focus on research, enterprise education, and workforce upskilling, partnering with the Gonzalo Puyat School of Arts and Trades to ensure industry-aligned training.

Secretary Benitez emphasized his agency's commitment to enhancing the skills of Filipino workers to meet both local and global standards.

"We at TESDA are committed to giving Filipinos opportunities to increase employability, productivity, and competitiveness, qualities that are crucial to adapt in the digital transformation and technological innovation brought about by the fourth industrial revolution, including the inherent productivity, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity in a fast-changing world-to-world and global competition," he said.

Located inside the Clark Freeport Zone, the RTIC benefits from proximity to key industries in logistics, manufacturing, and Information Technology, providing hands-on training and direct connections to employers. The center's sustainable, climate-smart design aligns with Clark's broader goals of becoming a hub for technology, innovation, and sustainability.

This initiative will also involve local governments in selecting trainees and providing transportation subsidies, expanding access to training opportunities. With the RTIC, the government aims to improve employability and prepare Filipinos for careers in high-growth sectors.

The project is funded by the Asian Development Bank under the Supporting Innovation in the Philippine Technical Vocational Education and Training program.