UPS opens $80-million Clark hub, hires 600 workers

A total of 600 Cabalens were hired at the newly opened $80-million United Parcel Service (UPS) Clark International Air Hub in Clark, Pampanga, which President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said would strengthen the country’s logistics network, speed up the delivery of goods and connect more Filipino businesses to global markets.

In his speech during the inauguration, Marcos welcomed the investment as a sign of the private sector’s confidence in the Philippines as a strategic investment destination.

“We deeply appreciate UPS for recognizing the Philippines as a strategic investment destination, as demonstrated by its long-standing presence in our country,” the President said.

The new 30,000-square-meter facility is more than 15 times the size of UPS’s previous hub at Clark International Airport, which began operations in 2002.

With the expansion, the facility can process up to 15,000 packages per hour and is expected to handle around 46,000 packages and cargo shipments daily, more than nine times the estimated volume handled by the former hub.

UPS currently operates 170 weekly flights to and from Clark, serving businesses across the Asia-Pacific region, India, Europe and the United States. The upgraded facility will also support access to more than 1,100 trade lanes worldwide and create nearly 600 jobs.

Marcos said the facility’s dedicated immigration and customs lanes would help speed up cargo clearance and improve delivery efficiency.

He also highlighted UPS Premier, a specialized logistics service designed to support the safe and timely transport of critical medical supplies, vaccines and other time- and temperature-sensitive shipments.

The new hub is also expected to operate 17 electric ground service vehicles and equipment units, with nine additional units scheduled for delivery next year to support more efficient and environmentally sustainable operations.

Marcos said the facility’s completion marked an important development for Clark, creating more employment and business opportunities outside Metro Manila.

He emphasized the need to ensure major investments are completed on schedule so businesses and communities can benefit from them.

To help ensure other investments in Clark are completed on time, Marcos said he had directed the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to submit a report on unfinished investment projects, including their target opening dates.

He said his administration was also pursuing the proposed Subic-Clark-Manila-Batangas Railway, which aims to link major ports through an integrated freight network.

Meanwhile, the DTI has established the Supply Chain and Logistics Center to help businesses access information on suppliers and logistics service providers.

Marcos said improving the movement of goods was particularly important as the country prepared for the possible effects of Super El Niño, which could disrupt food supplies and put additional pressure on prices.

“As we prepare for the effects of Super El Niño, our synergistic efforts become even more vital. By promoting the timely movement of food and other basic commodities, we can help prevent supply disruptions, ease pressure on prices, and ensure that necessities remain accessible to Filipino households,” the President said.