Clark Disneyland soon to rise?

The City Council of Angeles City has approved a resolution supporting and endorsing Pampanga Representative Carmelo Lazatin’s (1st district) invitation to Walt Disney Parks and Resorts to consider establishing Disneyland inside the Clark Freeport Zone.

The resolution, sponsored by councilors Will Rivera, Maricel Morales, Edu Pamintuan, Jericho Aguas, Alex Indiongco and Joseph Dimapilis, was unanimously approved during the council’s regular session last April 24.

According to the resolution, the world-famous theme park will help the Department of Tourism meet, if not surpass, its target in terms of tourist arrivals now pegged at five million visitors a year.

“A Disneyland theme park shall help generate local employment and other businesses, thus spurring the growth of country’s economy,” the resolution added.

Earlier, Lazatin wrote Thomas Staggs, chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, and offered the former US military base as the next location for the famous park.

“The Clark Freeport Zone may interest you and Walt Disney as the next location for your famous Disneyland theme park, as it boasts of a 4,400 hectare main zone and 27,600-hectare subzone,” Lazatin said in his letter, adding that Clark Freeport Zone offers tax-free privileges to locators.

“Together with our population of more than 90 million Filipinos, a Disneyland theme park in the Philippines could be a major income generating site for your company,” he said.

Further, he added that that the tax-free privileges given to locators at the Clark Freeport Zone could be attractive destination for Disneyland theme park. Lazatin also cited Clark International Airport, world-class airport which is expected to serve at least P1.6-million passengers this year. He said in in his letter that the airport will be making it easier for tourists to enjoy the amenities and entertainment Disneyland is famous for without the hassles of long travels.

Apart from the airport which will offer convenience to visitors, the hotel accommodations will not be a problem as Clark has the best hotels, where visitors can likely enjoy the Filipino hospitality.

The lawmaker said "the Philippines is a favorite tourist destination in Southeast Asia, with an average arrival of four million foreign visitors a year and for 2012, the government is eyeing to hit the 5-million mark."

Disneyland theme parks are among the most visited and the best-earning parks in the world. There are so far 3 Disneyland parks in Asia located in Hong Kong; Tokyo, Japan and Shanghai, China.

No confirmation as to what the Disneyland management’s stand about this request has been released though. But should this be considered, it will definitely be more fun in the Philippines!