Top global business school completes strategic marketing plan for Clark Green City--BCDA

The state-owned Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) said a top US-based business school it had signed an agreement with has completed the comprehensive blueprint that outlines the strategies and tactics in marketing the country’s planned first and only smart and green metropolis called Clark Green City making it the center for innovation, sustainability and inclusive growth for its residents, partners and the world.

BCDA President and CEO Arnel Paciano D. Casanova said the Stephen M. Ross School of Business of the University of Michigan formulated the Strategic Marketing Development Plan that complements the Master Development Plan of the Clark Green City. He said the Strategic Marketing Development Plan was presented to the BCDA last December 17, 2013.

 “We are happy to have partnered with the Stephen M. Ross School of Business, being perhaps the world’s top business school, which delivered a top notch global strategic marketing development plan for the Clark Green City,” Casanova said. He added that the plan will undoubtedly redound to the ability of BCDA to successfully market Clark Green City in a global scale. 

He added that  team from the Stephen M. Ross School of Business, lead by Dr. Andrew Lawlor,  was in the country last October to undertake  meetings, data collection and other preparatory activities for the study.

According to Casanova the scope of the market study undertaken by the Stephen M. Ross Business School team include, among others, the review of financial and economic assumptions in the Master Development Plan; a market attractiveness assessment, sizing analysis and branding formulation; and the five-year Strategic Marketing Development Plan.

Casanova said the NEDA Infracom, chaired by Socioeconomic Planning Secretary and

NEDA Director-General Arsenio Balisacan has already endorsed the Clark Green City Master Development Plan to  President Benigno S. Aquino III for final approval.

“Once we get the green light from President Aquino, we can now implement both the Strategic Marketing Plan and the Master Development Plan for the Clark Green City,” Casanova said.

Casanova noted that the University of Michigan has a long standing relationship with the Philippines in terms of developing the country’s educational system. He explained that graduates from the University of Michigan composed a large number of the first American teachers or Thomasites who taught and chartered the course of the Philippine educational system.

He said that no less that the founder of the University of the Philippines College of Law, Justice George A. Malcom was a graduate of the University of Michigan and a lot of known Filipino leaders are educated there.

“This time, the University of Michigan and the Stephen M. Ross School of Business has assisted the Philippines in developing the country’s most modern and intelligent city,” Casanova said.

According to Casanova, considering that the greatest asset and competitive advantage of the Philippines is its young population, the Clark Green City shall serve as the country’s brain capital as it aims to host the most inquisitive, creative and innovative minds.

Clark Green City involves the development of some 36,000 hectares of land or approximately half the size of Metro Manila.

At the heart of the 36,000-hectare property is a 9,450-hectare metropolis. BCDA  will start by developing 1,321 hectares for the first phase.

Earlier, Casanova said Clark Green City is the first project of this magnitude that will be undertaken in the history of the country. “Not only are we building a new city, we are building the city for the modern Filipinos, aware of their rich and diverse history, yet forward looking and global thinking,” he said.

Said Casanova: “We are building a city not defined by physical space alone but on how this space uplifts the quality of life of every human being that will live and work there.”

He added that development of the Clark Green City is expected to contribute in attracting investments, generating more jobs, boosting the economy and sustaining inclusive growth.

Casanova said at full development, Clark Green City would contribute approximately P1.57 trillion per year to the economy of the country and will generate  925,000 jobs.

The BCDA has extensive experience in building a city. It is coming from the success of developing  the Bonifacio Global City, the country’s most beautifully planned and developed city using the best practices around the world. “Compared to BGC, Clark Green City will be of a much larger scale,” Casanova said.