BCDA Collective | Issue 8 2020

SMART CITIES
MTD CHAIRMAN ISAAC DAVID
representatives, Chairman Isaac David and
President and CEO Nikko David.
Both civil engineers, the father-and-son
tandem agreed to work for the Malaysian
conglomerate and contribute to nationbuilding
through infrastructure. Chairman
Isaac David was managing an engineering
consultancy group for the last 16 years
before retiring. In 2007, he was invited by the
Malaysian group to head a new company to
develop SLEX.
“In 2012, we decided to embark on
developing government centers with the
Putrajaya as our inspiration on the concept.
This is putting all government offices in one
place as a way of improving efficiency and
effectively providing government services,”
the older David recalled.
They started out with a regional
government center in CALABARZON located
in Calamba, Laguna. The concept was
partnering with the local government who
owns the land while MTD will design, build,
and finance the project.
“Our proposed solution to the worsening
traffic condition in major metropolises
like Metro Manila, is dispersal of economic
development to the countryside. The
government centers are expected to catalyze
such countryside development,” says
Chairman David, citing that this is a vision
which MTD shared with President Rodrigo
Duterte’s Build Build Build Infrastructure
Program.
MTD believes that the Philippine
government needs a back-up facility where it
can continue to function even under extreme
circumstances.
Both Davids agree that Metro Manila,
where most of the government’s facilities
are currently placed, is vulnerable to a lot of
natural calamities. New Clark City perfectly
fits their idea of a government center.
“The location for this purpose will call
for a huge space and [the land] has to be
government-owned. Only the New Clark City
corresponds to the said necessary features,”
President Nikko David underscored. “New
Clark City will be the next Metro Manila.
It’s where opportunities for developers and
contractors are aplenty.”
Proving the impossible
New Clark City, as a world-class
infrastructure project under the Build Build
Build program, was a welcome opportunity
for MTD though the huge project was also a
challenge. Such a large-scale project usually
takes four years to complete, and MTD was
only given 18 months to build Phase 1A. They
were able to deliver and build the sports
facilities in time for the Philippines’ hosting
of the 30th SEA Games.
MTD made the tight construction schedule
into a big opportunity to show “that we,
Filipinos, can construct projects within
budget, within the quality and standards
comparable to the best in the world, and
within deadline.”
Touring inside New Clark City, there is
more to it than meets the eye. MTD was able
to turn the once idle land into a growing
metropolis with all the structure blending in
innovation, functionality, and art.
10 Collective / Issue 8