The masterplan for the Asia Pacific Economic Zone and Freeport (APECO), scheduled for launch this September, is being positioned as defense hub for the Philippines with parallel tourism goal emphasizing on sustainable development and preservation of the ecosystem of the more than 12,000-hectare ecozone in Aurora province.
APECO President and CEO Gil G. Taway IV said during a press conference the need to actively support the national government to enhance its defense capabilities. “APECO has what it takes to be a defense hub,” Taway said adding, “We are in the middle of all the countries in the Indo-Pacific. We have Sierra Madre shielding us from potential flashpoints. And we are close to the U.S. Pacific Fleet in Guam and Honolulu.”
Last year, the Philippine Embassy in Washington D.C. posted on its website that APECO gained a staunch ally in Philippine Ambassador to the United States, Jose Manuel G. Romualdez, who expressed his full support for APECO’s new strategic direction to become the Philippines’ First National Defense Hub and other goals, which include establishing itself as the Fishing Capital of Luzon, developing the region as a renewable energy center, and advancing Casiguran, Aurora as the country’s next premier tourism destination.
These new strategic directions align with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s priorities for national security, food security, and energy security and reflect the agency’s commitment to attracting more foreign direct investments, the Philippine embassy said.
It further added that APECO provides the closest safe harbor to the Philippine Rise and remains as the only economic zone with immediate access to the Pacific Eastern Seaboard.
Casiguran’s locational advantage, coupled with natural barriers provided by the Sierra Madre Mountain Range and the San Ildefonso Peninsula, make APECO the perfect nexus of the country’s defense industry.
Aside from a national security hub, Taway said that the updated APECO master plan also considers agro-industrial industries, power and tourism developments.
Deputy Administrator Angelo Gabriel D. Mantuano said the masterplan, which serves as a blueprint, will provide for some kind of deed of restrictions to guide businesses and investors on what activities are permitted and prohibited.
The APECO area is divided into two parcels: Parcel 1, covering at least 496 hectares, and Parcel 2, spanning 12,247 hectares located in the towns of Casiguran and San Ildefonso, respectively.
Mantuano underscored the importance of the deed of restrictions, particularly regarding infrastructure projects. He noted that these measures will help attract the right investors for long-term engagement.
He also highlighted that the masterplan adopts a walkable city concept. “The same development that we can see when you go to Barcelona, when you go to Milan,” he said.
Certeza Techno Earth, a joint venture between Certeza Infosystems and UP-based Techno Earth, won the masterplan project through a public bidding process.
The masterplan will include financial projections and costing. However, not all projects will be financed by the government-owned and -controlled corporation.
Parcel 2 is designated for eco-tourism development, a direction validated by the Department of Development.
Equally important, Mantuano emphasized, is the consideration of the positions and rights of various indigenous peoples in the area.
