The runway is seen at the Casiguran International Airport in Aurora province. — COURTESY OF AURORA PACIFIC ECONOMIC ZONE AND FREEPORT AUTHORITY

PLANS are being considered to develop port and airport projects in Casiguran, Aurora through public-private partnerships (PPP), according to the Aurora Pacific Economic Zone and Freeport Authority (APECO).

“The specific projects are still under discussion and will be firmed up following upcoming workshops and project identification activities with the PPP Center,” APECO President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Gil G. Taway IV told BusinessWorld.

“But priority infrastructure projects such as the Casiguran International New Port and the Casiguran International Airport are among those being considered for PPP structuring,” he added.

APECO and the PPP Center held a meeting last week to explore areas of support through capacity building and technical assistance for PPP project development, particularly in market sounding and investment promotion.

“The collaboration aims to support APECO in advancing its PPP initiatives across the project lifecycle that will contribute to the development of strategic infrastructure within the economic zone,” the PPP Center said in a statement last week.

After the meeting, the parties explored the possibility of formalizing the PPP Center’s technical assistance through a memorandum of agreement (MoA).

“APECO and the PPP Center are currently in the process of drafting the MoA, which is targeted to be signed by the third week of May,” said Mr. Taway.

“This will open new opportunities for private sector participation in building a dynamic, future-ready economic zone in Casiguran,” he added.

Under the MoA, the center will assist APECO in various areas, including identifying a pipeline of priority projects by yearend.

“The PPP Center is committed to helping APECO achieve its objective to build economically viable and quality PPP projects in their jurisdiction,” PPP Center Executive Director Rizza Blanco-Latorre said in a statement.

She said that the PPP projects help bring development to the area and open more opportunities for international trade by improving infrastructure and attracting foreign investments. 

The PPP Center is also engaging other government agencies to extend technical assistance that will support effective development, procurement and implementation of PPP projects in the country.

As of April 10, the PPP Center said that there are 251 projects with an estimated project cost of P3.3 trillion in the pipeline.

Of these, 167 projects are going to be implemented by the National Government while the remaining 84 projects are going to be implemented by local government units.

INVESTMENT HUB
Separately, APECO said it is exploring the Philippine Pharmaceutical Procurement, Inc.’s (PPPI) establishment of a pharmaceutical investment hub in Casiguran.

The PPPI identified research and development (R&D), clinical trials, and cold chain logistics and warehousing among the potential activities that could be hosted inside the proposed hub.

Mr. Taway said APECO is positioning the ecozone to host high-value industries that require reliable infrastructure, streamlined regulation, and long-term investment support.

“We are building APECO as a complete, investment-ready ecosystem. For industries like pharmaceuticals that demand stability, efficiency, and scale, our ecozone provides the environment where they can operate and grow with confidence,” he said.

APECO has identified 496 hectares for the proposed pharmaceutical hub out of the 12,923 hectares under its management.

“APECO’s ongoing efforts to strengthen power supply, water access, and logistics connectivity are critical in meeting the requirements of pharmaceutical locators, particularly in R&D, cold chain storage, and distribution,” he added.

If realized, PPPI President and CEO Maria Blanca Kim Bernardo-Lokin said that the initiative could help position the Philippines as a competitive hub for global pharmaceutical firms.

“This collaboration with APECO not only strengthens our role in the global pharma value chain but also directly supports the administration’s priority of improving access to affordable, quality healthcare for all Filipinos,” she was quoted as saying.

Ms. Bernardo-Lokin said that the PPPI has also partnered with Clark International Airport Corp. and the Bases Conversion and Development Authority for the establishment of other pharma hubs.

“APECO will be our third partner and right now, we are meeting with Cagayan Economic Zone Authority,” she added. — Justine Irish D. Tabile

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