Development
New Clark City: An Insider's Progress Report
What is actually being built right now in Central Luzon's most ambitious new city, and what it means for investors and home buyers.
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Philippine Land Group Incorporated — a legacy of real estate development in Pampanga and Central Luzon, now under visionary new leadership.
About Us
Philippine Land Group Incorporated has operated in the real estate sector of Central Luzon since 2008, with holdings and development interests across Pampanga and Angeles City. The company was built on a simple conviction — that quality land and quality communities create lasting value for Filipino families.
Under new leadership, the company is now positioned for its most ambitious chapter — developing land in one of the fastest-growing economic corridors in Southeast Asia. The foundation laid over more than fifteen years is now the platform for a bolder, more expansive vision.
The Numbers Behind the Vision
New Clark City is not a future plan. It is happening now.
These are not projections. These are committed, approved, and publicly declared investment figures from the Philippine government and international partners. Land in this corridor is rising in value as the world's attention turns to New Clark City as Asia's next economic capital.
Central Luzon's Future
New Clark City sits within the 9,450-hectare Clark Freeport and Special Economic Zone in Capas and Bamban, Tarlac — approximately 100 kilometres north of Metro Manila and 20 minutes from Clark International Airport via the newly completed six-lane access road. It is master-planned by the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) and is being positioned as the Philippines' first climate-resilient, disaster-proof, smart metropolis.
Raw land in Capas, Tarlac was trading between ₱300 and ₱2,500 per square metre as recently as 2021 to 2023. By 2025, land adjacent to New Clark City was commanding between ₱2,000 and ₱8,000 per square metre, with premium plots near the industrial zones reaching ₱23,499 per square metre, according to OnePropertee listings data from 2025. The trajectory is steep and supported by a cascade of major government and private investments. Comparable residential communities such as Ajoya Capas by AboitizLand have recorded value appreciation of up to 75% since 2018.
In April 2026, New Clark City was designated as the anchor site for the Pax Silica initiative — a US-backed 1,619-hectare economic security zone for AI, advanced manufacturing, semiconductor processing, and critical minerals, as reported by the Philippine Inquirer in April 2026. The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines has committed ₱6.95 billion for a dedicated 230kV substation to power this zone, according to Manila Bulletin reporting from May 2026. Japan has committed to energy and transport project support, and more than twenty international firms have expressed formal interest in locating operations at New Clark City. The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas is building a ₱20-billion complex within the city, while Filinvest Innovation Park, Hann Reserve, and Australia's StB Giga Factory are already under development.
The BCDA-built six-lane access road connects New Clark City directly to Clark International Airport, a twenty-minute drive, and to the NLEX and SCTEX expressway network, placing the site approximately one and a half hours from Metro Manila under normal conditions. The BCDA has committed to more than sixty kilometres of internal roads within New Clark City by the end of 2025. The city is designed for an eventual population of 1.2 million people.
Philippine Land Group holds land interests in this corridor. The company is not disclosing the precise location of its holdings at this time, but the strategic positioning of its assets within one of the fastest-appreciating land corridors in Southeast Asia is the foundation of its long-term development vision.
Our Vision
Philippine Land Group's long-term development goals extend far beyond any single project. The company is building toward a diversified portfolio of residential, commercial, and mixed-use developments across Central Luzon — communities designed not merely as places to live, but as places to belong.
The vision is one of scale matched with integrity. As New Clark City and the wider Clark corridor attract billions of pesos in committed investment, PLG intends to grow alongside the region, creating mixed-use developments that combine housing, commerce, and green space in a way that reflects both the ambition and the character of the Philippines' new economic frontier.
This is a long-term view. Land appreciates. Communities mature. Infrastructure compounds in value over years, not months. PLG's strategy is built for that horizon — patient, disciplined, and anchored in a region whose fundamentals continue to strengthen year after year.
Looking Forward
The developments of tomorrow will not look like the developments of the past. Smart infrastructure, resilient utilities, and sustainable design are becoming baseline expectations for any serious real estate company operating in Central Luzon's fastest-growing corridor.
PLG is watching closely as New Clark City pioneers the Philippines' first fully smart power grid, underground utility corridors, and large-scale renewable energy integration. These are the standards the company intends to bring into its own future projects — communities designed with resilience, efficiency, and long-term sustainability built in from the first plan.
Invest
Three pillars underpin every decision PLG makes on behalf of its investors and partners.
PLG's holdings sit within the Clark corridor, the single most active development zone in the Philippines today, adjacent to the New Clark City master plan and its surrounding infrastructure investment.
The company operates under the full framework of Philippine corporate and land ownership law, with clear title, proper registration, and disciplined compliance at every level of its structure.
PLG's approach favours patient, disciplined growth over speculation, positioning the company and its partners to benefit as the region matures over the coming decade.
Investor Guide
The Philippines welcomes foreign investors with clear frameworks and exciting opportunities. Here is what every prospective investor should understand before entering the market.
The Philippines requires that most domestic corporations be at least 60% Filipino-owned, with a maximum of 40% foreign equity. This applies to land-owning entities and businesses operating in sectors designated for Filipino ownership.
This structure ensures that Filipino citizens and interests maintain majority control of businesses operating on Philippine soil, while still welcoming foreign capital, expertise, and participation as a substantial minority partner. Foreign equity is capped at 40% for domestic market enterprises, though export-oriented enterprises earning 60% or more of revenue from abroad may exceed this cap. A minimum paid-in capital of USD $200,000 may allow full foreign ownership in certain cases. Foreign nationals cannot hold title to Philippine land — only corporations qualified under the 60/40 rule can.
The Grandfather Rule is a legal mechanism used by the Philippines' Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to determine whether the Filipino ownership requirement is actually met in layered corporate structures.
When ownership is held through multiple layers of companies, the SEC looks through each layer, piercing the corporate veil, to trace the ultimate beneficial ownership back to actual Filipino individuals. If, at any layer, Filipino shareholding falls below 60%, the Grandfather Rule is triggered and the entire structure may fail the nationality test. This rule ensures that the spirit of the 60/40 requirement is honoured, not merely its technical appearance.
Foreign nationals can establish and operate businesses in the Philippines through the correct structures and with the right professional guidance. The process begins with identifying your industry against the Foreign Investment Negative List, then choosing a structure — corporation through the SEC, sole proprietorship through the DTI, or partnership — before registering the business name, securing a Mayor's Business Permit, BIR registration and Barangay Clearance, opening a Philippine bank account for the minimum capital deposit, and registering employees with SSS, PhilHealth, and Pag-IBIG.
Budget PHP 100,000 to 1,000,000 (approximately USD 1,700 to 18,000) for initial registration and compliance costs. Always engage a licensed Philippine attorney.
The Philippines' Anti-Dummy Law penalises any arrangement in which a foreign national uses Filipino names or nominees to circumvent foreign equity restrictions. Those found in violation face criminal charges, fines, and deregistration.
Always structure your investments through legitimate, properly documented corporate arrangements, and always with qualified legal counsel.
This page provides general information only and does not constitute legal advice. Philippine Investment Act of 1991 (RA 7042) and the Foreign Investment Negative List govern foreign equity. Always consult a licensed Philippine attorney before structuring any investment.
In Memoriam
Maurice Van Merkesteijn · 1952–2023
Founder, Philippine Land Group Incorporated
Born in the Netherlands, Maurice first arrived in the Philippines in the early 1980s and chose, over the decades that followed, to make it home. He founded Philippine Land Group Incorporated in 2008 in Mabalacat City, Pampanga, building it as a statement of faith in the Philippines and the Filipino people.
Maurice passed away in 2023, leaving behind a company, a community, and a legacy now carried forward by new leadership, including his son, who serves as the company's current Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. His vision, a Philippines transformed through quality development, honest business, and genuine commitment, remains the guiding principle of everything PLG does today.
Insights & Updates
Stay connected with the latest developments, opportunities, and stories from across the Philippine real estate landscape and beyond.
What is actually being built right now in Central Luzon's most ambitious new city, and what it means for investors and home buyers.
Read MoreHow the region's biggest developments are integrating smart grids, resilient utilities, and sustainable design from day one.
Read MoreA full legal walkthrough of every step, from proving financial capacity to the SEC, to the difference between being an Incorporator-Chairman-CEO and an ordinary shareholder.
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