BCDA updates census for communities near proposed Clark manufacturing park

CAPAS, Tarlac — The Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA), in coordination with the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP), is updating its census of families and residents in Sitio Sapang Kawayan here as preparations advance for the proposed Clark Advanced Manufacturing Park (CAMP) in New Clark City.

The census is intended to establish a validated socio-economic baseline of communities in the project area, which BCDA said could help guide development planning, community assistance, safeguards and other measures as preparations for the proposed project proceed.

The initiative is being led by NCIP Secretary Nancy A. Catamco and BCDA Officer-in-Charge Senior Vice President for Conversion and Development Group Mark P. Torres, according to a BCDA press release issued on the initiative.

BCDA said the updated census will seek to establish a more precise database of families and residents in the area.

It is part of a broader process that includes identification and validation, joint surveys and documentation, review of existing agreements, and the processing and release of what the agency described as appropriate assistance.

“We are building the foundation of the Clark Advanced Manufacturing Park on a principle of shared progress. True development means no community is left behind,” BCDA President and CEO Joshua M. Bingcang said in the release.

“By validating our community baseline early on alongside the NCIP, we want to assure the community that every family receives the exact support, protection, and opportunities they deserve as this vision comes to life,” Bingcang said.

BCDA said it has also held recent dialogues with Tarlac government leaders, local government officials, members of the clergy, academe and other stakeholders as part of consultations on the proposed CAMP.

The discussions were intended to provide information about the proposed development and gather local perspectives, concerns and priorities, the agency said.

BCDA said continued engagement with the NCIP, local government units and community elders would form part of the project preparation process.

The agency said the consultations are intended to ensure that planning for the proposed development considers community and institutional concerns alongside its potential economic implications.

BCDA also linked the initiative to the Marcos administration’s stated goal of inclusive economic development, saying investments and economic growth should translate into opportunities and improved living conditions for Filipinos, including communities in and around major development areas.

The census update, however, is an early preparatory measure. BCDA did not state that construction of CAMP has begun or that any particular family or resident has been finally determined to qualify for assistance.