Aurora Pacific Economic Zone and Freeport Authority (APECO), which is strategically located on the eastern seaboard, has applied for
Project Development and Monitoring Facility (PDMF) feasibility study funding for its four logistics projects. PDMF is a revolving fund managed by the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Center to support implementing agencies and local government units in preparing bankable PPP projects by funding feasibility studies, project structuring, tender document preparation, and transaction advisory services.
APECO President and CEO Atty. Gil G. Taway IV identified these projects to include the Casiguran International New Port, Casiguran Airport, Central Luzon East-West Railway, and Central Luzon East-West high speed road network.
Taway said the projects are meant to strengthen the viability of the freeport and ecozone as investment hubs for mission critical projects.
For the Casiguran International New Port project, APECO already signed a tripartite memorandum of agreement (MOA) with South Korea’s Yooshin Engineering Corporation and the Philippines’ Lordsbridge Resources Corporation to develop the Casiguran International New Port, an estimated PHP4.7-billion flagship infrastructure project aimed at positioning Aurora as a key maritime gateway to the Pacific.
Under the agreement, Yooshin Engineering will lead the updating of the 2011Korean Export-Import (KEXIM) Bank feasibility study covering technical, financial, environmental, and social aspects of the port project. The Korean firm is currently involved in the 32.47-kilometer PGN Bridges connecting Panay, Guimaras, and Negros Islands and Conceptual Design and Construction Supervision of Cebu International Container Port, bringing its proven expertise in large-scale infrastructure projects to the Casiguran International New Port development.
APECO President and CEO Undersecretary Gil G. Taway IV
Meanwhile, Lordsbridge Resources will serve as the developer and funding coordinator, engaging Korean and international financial institutions, while APECO will provide policy, logistical, and data support for the study.
APECO is also upgrading the Casiguran airport, which is being positioned as a future international gateway in the northeastern part of Luzon.
Taway added that positioning the Casiguran Airport as an international gateway will connect Aurora directly to the global markets. It will also make the province more attractive to investors, tourists, and as a competitive hub for emerging industries.
The proposed Central Luzon East-West Railway is a cross-Luzon railway project aimed at connecting Casiguran, Aurora on the Pacific coast to major western hubs like the Clark and Subic Bay freeports. The initiative serves to plug the eastern seaboard into the Luzon Economic Corridor, promoting seamless movement of cargo and passengers across Central Luzon.
Meanwhile, the planned Central Luzon East-West high speed road network will be built alongside the railway.
