The Aurora Pacific Economic Zone and Freeport Authority (APECO) welcomed the Senate’s approval of its increased proposed budget for 2026, an affirmation of the national government’s renewed trust and confidence in the agency’s reforms and strategic direction under its new leadership.
From the original PHP262.46 million recommended by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), the Senate raised APECO’s allocation to PHP380 million, an increase of PHP119 million or 45 percent.
This substantial boost reflects the Senate’s recognition of APECO’s vital role in driving sustainable development, generating jobs, and building prosperity in Dinalungan, Casiguran, Dilasag (DiCaDi) and the rest of Aurora province, as well as acknowledging the significant turnaround and reforms achieved by APECO in the past two years since the new management assumed office in October 2023.
APECO extends its gratitude to the Senate, especially to Senate Committee on Finance Chairperson Senator Sherwin T. Gatchalian and Sub-Committee Vice Chairperson Senator Imee R. Marcos, whose support has been instrumental in securing this higher budget ceiling for 2026.
APECO commits to honoring the trust granted by the lawmakers by ensuring that every peso is optimized for programs that uplift communities and advance regional economic growth.
Major components of the 2026 budget include the Corporate Campus Development, a 2-hectare green space with a series of lagoons connected to a canal draining into the Casiguran Cove; the JPEC Phase 2 project, which will provide more retail accommodations as part of the MICE Tourism push of the ecozone; and the APECO Central Expressway, a 4-lane expressway that would reduce a travel time from the Northern and Southern ends of the zone, connecting the two industrial zones of APECO.
APECO President and CEO Atty. Gil G. Taway IV emphasized the need for the government to invest in key infrastructures like road networks, airport, and seaports among others, that would make the area viable for investments and prepare the northern Aurora for more tourists.
“These projects support APECO’s long-term vision of building a thriving economic corridor in the Luzon’s eastern seaboard and inclusive growth for the people of Aurora,” PCEO Taway added.
