CLARK FREEPORT — Clark Development Corporation (CDC) launched the automatic renewal of business permits for qualified locators on April 8 at Teatro sa Nayon sa Clark, strengthening ease of doing business in the Freeport and setting a national benchmark for business permit policy.
CDC President and CEO Atty. Agnes VST Devanadera, who has led anti-red tape reforms here including the Business One-Stop Shop (BOSS), said the auto-renewal will ease administrative burden and lower operational costs, making Clark a more investor-friendly environment.
“CDC is within your reach. You can come straight to us. The best that we want to happen here for our locators is for you to be able to earn as much as you can,” Atty. Devanadera said.
Under the new system, locators in good standing and with no violations are automatically included in a “green list,” eliminating the need for manual renewal applications. The initiative replaces the previous three-year permit cycle with an annual automatic renewal mechanism.
As of launch, 220 locators have qualified for auto-renewal. The measure is expected to save time, cut costs, and provide greater certainty for investors and employees.
Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) Secretary Ernesto Perez, who witnessed the ceremonial issuance, commended CDC for being the first agency to institutionalize automatic renewal under the Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act of 2018 (Republic Act No. 11032).
“You are the first agency to have institutionalized our dream of adopting an automatic renewal policy as mandated under the Ease of Doing Business Law,” Sec. Perez said.
“This is really a milestone in attracting not only existing investors to expand, but even prospective investors, especially at this time of crisis, at this time of the energy emergency that is present here,” he added.
Perez noted that the initiative supports the administration of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., which has prioritized cutting red tape and improving government efficiency to boost competitiveness and attract investments.
Locators expressed support for the move, saying it will help sustain growth and attract new investors.
“Ultimately, reforms such as this benefit not just the locators, but also the thousands of employees who rely on stable and growing businesses for their livelihood and the national government’s responsible task is to bring down unemployment and underemployment in this country,” Clark Investors and Locators Association (CILA) President Ernesto Gorospe said.
The ATO is a mandatory requirement for businesses operating within the Freeport, ensuring compliance with regulatory standards. The introduction of automatic renewal reflects Clark’s position as a competitive investment hub with efficient governance, business-friendly policies, and streamlined regulatory systems.
