Tuesday, June 17, 2008 [ manilatimes.net ]
CLARK FREEPORT: Business tycoon Levy Laus said on Monday he submitted last month a letter to President Gloria Arroyo expressing his desire to resign from his post as president/CEO of Clark Development Corp. (CDC).
In his press statement, Laus said “I’ve written the President a letter expressing my desire to relinquish my CDC position effective July 31, 2008 in my desire to go back to my business firms and steer them in the direction of the growing economy in our country.”
Laus said he submitted his letter to the President through Secretary Cerge Remonde, chief of the Presidential Management Staff.
As this developed, Laus bared that his business group, the Laus Group of Companies, is currently pursuing various expansion projects.
“We just recently broke ground for two car dealerships, Kia Baliuag and Hyundai, Baliuag in Bulacan which will open next month,” Laus said. “We also will inaugurate the Laus Group Holdings, Inc. sometime in August,” he added.
Laus is the founder and chairman of the Laus Group whose core business is automotive dealership spread in a vast network from Metro Manila and Central and North Luzon. He also owns a tri-media outfit, radio station DWRW-FM, Sun Star Pampanga and CLTV-36.
“CLTV-36 is also set to expand its operations in strategic areas in Central Luzon,” Laus said.
Laus, a close ally and family friend of the Arroyos, was appointed as CDC president in October 2006.
“My decision to leave CDC is consistent with the timetable and objectives I’ve set for myself when the President gave me the opportunity to serve her government and help contribute to her vision for the development and growth of Clark,“ Laus said.
Under Laus’ watch, Clark was converted from special economic zone to a Freeport Zone and investments in the former American military base rose by 600 percent. Last year, Texas Instrument, one of the world’s biggest semi-conductor firms, moved to Clark with an investment of $1 billion, one of the biggest single investments by any foreign firm in the Philippines.
“In the nearly two years that I have been at the helm of CDC, I feel that I have given my modest contribution to the overall effort in propelling the Clark Freeport Zone as world-class logistics and service hub as well as an investment and tourism destination as envisioned by our President,” Laus said.
Prior to his CDC stint, Laus was also appointed director of the Bases Conversion Development Authority (BCDA) by Mrs. Arroyo. He also served concurrently as director of the Fort Bonifacio Development Corp. and the Bataan Technology Park. He was appointed commissioner to the 2005 Consultative Committee for the Revision of the Constitution. He was later conferred the Presidential Medal of Honor by Mrs. Arroyo.
Laus also served previously as director of Semirara Mining Corp. under former President Corazon C. Aquino and appointed member of the Socio-Political Advisory Board of the Mt. Pinatubo Commission under then President Fidel V. Ramos.
He is the chairman of the Pampanga Chamber of Commerce and Industry. -- Mark Louie P. Roxas
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