The government can emulate the achievements of Mekeni Food Corporation. This was surmised during the visit conducted by Clark International Airport Corporation (CIAC) President and CEO Arrey Perez at the Mekeni factory in Porac, Pampanga.

Perez, who was joined by the Task Force on National Food Hub during the factory visit, believes that Clark can replicate the logical achievements of Mekeni Food Corporation in establishing the food hub that would ensure food security in the country.

Mekeni began as a backyard tocino business by spouses Felix and Meding Garcia. Currently, the company has made available meat and other Mekeni products in the US, Middle East, Europe, Southeast Asia and New Zealand.

“We can have more success stories like Mekeni that can be shared all over the world,” Perez said.

Perez said the concept of having a national food hub also targets those in the agricultural sector.

“We want our farmers and producers to scale up. Clark is for national development where products from all over can be taken. We want (Clark) to supply entire Philippines and help ensure food sustainability food security and help those in agriculture,” he added.

Mekeni Food Corp. president Prudencio ‘Pruds’ Garcia, meanwhile, said that the planned food hub in Clark will be helpful in decongesting Metro Manila and will be beneficial during calamities.

“Ang ganda ng project na ito. Very timely…as you can seen Manila gets flooded. There should be one area to support food security for the country. Wala tayong baha sa Clark.

The planned Clark National Food Hub project will be a P8.5-billion 62-hectare inside Clark’s aviation complex. It is set on replicating state-of-the-art agro-logistics system of food hubs in advanced Asian countries and is designed to raise the standards of food safety and provide better opportunities for the local farmers, fisherfolk, and growers.