The Clark Development Corporation (CDC) has suspended its fuel royalty fee and rolled out support measures to cushion the impact of rising fuel costs on more than 1,300 locators and an estimated 150,000 workers in the Clark Freeport Zone.
CDC president and CEO Agnes Devanadera said the agency will waive the one-peso-per-liter royalty fee for two months starting April 1, 2026, following unanimous board approval. The move is expected to deliver immediate financial relief to businesses operating within the estate.
To stabilize supply, CDC is also coordinating with Petron to help ensure steady fuel availability for locators, including sourcing arrangements linked to previous imports. Devanadera said priority will be given to core operations such as manufacturing and essential services, followed by support and ancillary needs. A survey is underway to determine actual fuel demand across the zone.
Alongside short-term relief, CDC is accelerating its renewable energy push. Projects in the pipeline include solar farms proposed by locators and expanded rooftop solar installations aimed at strengthening long-term energy security.
“We should not wait for another crisis,” Devanadera said.
To mitigate the impact on workers, CDC is working with Kadiwa and partner groups to expand access to affordable goods, including the Benteng Bigas program. Plans are in place to establish a नियमित on-site outlet by May.
Devanadera emphasized that rising costs affecting workers ultimately ripple across the broader Clark community, urging locators to remain prudent and maintain responsible fuel consumption amid ongoing uncertainties.
