The Aurora Pacific Economic Zone and Freeport Authority (APECO) has pitched its ecozone to Indonesian businesses as their gateway to East Asia and the U.S. West Coast, highlighting opportunities for closer economic cooperation between the two largest archipelagic nations in Southeast Asia.
On August 23, APECO held its 1st APECO Business Forum in Pasay City, hosting the business delegation of Indonesia Chamber of Commerce andIndustry (KADIN), with Senator Sherwin Gatchalian as its guest of honor.
APECO President and CEO Atty. Gil G. Taway IV said in his keynote speech that the ecozone’s location in Casiguran, Aurora gives Indonesian exporters a direct entry point to Northeast Asian and U.S. markets.
“Your nearest gateway facing Japan, Korea, and the United States West Coast is in APECO,” PCEO Taway told Indonesian executives.
“APECO is located right at the center of the Indo-Pacific Corridor. Indonesian exporters therefore can significantly reduce both cost and time in moving goods to and from these key markets.”
He added that the ecozone can serve as an alternative maritime route amid shifting geopolitical dynamics and disruptions in global trade.
“While others may offer access, APECO offers not only the nearest access but also an advantage — your supply chains to northern Pacific markets and diversify Indonesia’s export routes,” PCEO Taway said.
The APECO chief highlighted complementary strengths between the Philippines and Indonesia. While Indonesia brings minerals and agricultural resources, Aurora offers fisheries, coconut plantations, and direct Pacific access.
Opportunities include cold storage, canning, food processing with halal certification, as well as coconut-based additives, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals. The zone is also being positioned for renewable energy projects such as solar, tidal, and wind farms, and as a potential hub for defense and logistics in line with the Philippines’ modernization drive.
“Together, we can open new markets, create jobs, and write a new chapter in Indonesia-Philippine relations,” he said.
APECO, created in 2007, has long been mired in controversy over stalled projects, governance disputes, and land issues. PCEO Taway, who assumed office in October 2023, acknowledged that the ecozone “was marred by unpleasant issues and by lack of clear direction.”
“But instead of being deterred, we embraced these realities as the starting point for change and treated them both as a challenge and an inspiration,” he said.
“This is our story of redemption. From being single-handedly defined by POGO to now being redefined by a shared vision.”
He said the new management has revived nearly PHP800 million worth of long-abandoned infrastructure projects, including a central water supply and reservoir, a sewage treatment plant, a fire station, and underground power distribution lines, while completing additional key infrastructures like the Super Health Center, Materials Recovery Facility, and Motorpool.
“By finishing these projects, we not only fulfilled the President’s promise, but also directly addressed the essential needs of our locators and investors,” he said.
For his part, Senator Gatchalian has recognized APECO’s efforts to turnaround the Casiguran-based ecozone, noting that “APECO is undergoing a rapid transformation and readiness” Senator Gatchalian pointed out that APECO’s strategic direction of promoting the ecozone as a hub for food, energy, and national security as well as eco-tourism supports the socio-economic agenda of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.
“These are all aligned with our President’s National Development Agenda,” the lawmaker said.
