The Aurora Pacific Economic Zone and Freeport Authority (APECO) will launch an investment mission to Spain and Portugal this November, aiming to attract European investors for key infrastructure projects ahead of the anticipated Philippine-European Union Free Trade Agreement (PH-EU FTA).
APECO president and CEO Gil G. Taway IV confirmed the outbound mission during the 23rd Philippine-Spanish Friendship Day in Baler, Aurora, following meetings with Spanish Ambassador Miguel Utray Delgado and La Cámara executive director Ascension Lillo-Martin. The mission will spotlight major initiatives, including the Casiguran Seaport and APECO Airport, positioning the ecozone as a strategic transshipment hub for ASEAN-bound European trade.
Investor roundtables and meetings with chambers of commerce and government leaders in Spain and Portugal will form the core of APECO’s engagement strategy, showcasing the zone’s readiness for foreign direct investment (FDI) in infrastructure, logistics, energy, tourism, and defense. The effort aligns with President Marcos Jr. ‘s agenda to drive regional development through ecozones and the DTI-led PH-EU FTA talks led by Usec. Allan Gepty in Brussels last month.
PCEO Taway said that the mission underscores APECO’s transformation agenda—prioritizing transparency, sustainability, and inclusive growth—values that appeal to EU-based investors. Strengthening ties with Spain and Portugal is also seen as key to leveraging their global expertise in port operations and innovation.
The planned mission signals renewed momentum for APECO’s role in linking European capital with emerging economic opportunities in the northern Philippines.
