SEN. WIN GATCHALIAN'S STATEMENT ON EO CREATING A NATIONAL GOVERNMENT CENTER IN NEW CLARK CITY

Consistent with the government's aspiration to ensure the continuity of government services, I have filed in August last year a bill similar to the newly-signed Executive Order aimed at transferring the seat of national government to New Clark City in Capas, Tarlac.

While EO 119 directs the whole-of-government to establish satellite offices, my bill (Senate Bill No. 876 known as Kabisera 2030) proposes a permanent seat of government in New Clark City by 2030, separating it from the commercial and financial centers in Metro Manila. This will create opportunities and spur development in the countryside while reducing migration, congestion and urban blight in the metropolis.

The Executive's move could serve as a litmus test in the practicability of having a back-up government center to be utilized as a disaster recovery center outside the National Capital Region since the NCR is also exposed to threats of floodings, earthquakes and other natural disasters.

If proven effective, the Executive could later on consider establishing a new administrative center and SB 876 will provide a framework to address the transition.

This is not something new as it has been done in countries such as the US, South Korea, Brazil, Kazakhstan including our neighbour Malaysia which moved its administrative capital from Kuala Lumpur to the planned city of Putrajaya in 1999.

The opportunities to have a well-planned urban center with modern facilities and technology to enhance government efficiency and productivity will be boundless.