The Aurora Pacific Economic Zone and Freeport Authority (APECO) is seeking the release of the remaining P7 billion from its P10-billion authorized capitalization to bankroll infrastructure and development projects designed to make the zone more attractive to investors.
APECO President and Chief Executive Officer Gil Taway IV said P2.9 billion has so far been released, leaving a sizable balance the agency hopes to unlock gradually—starting with a proposed P2-billion release in the next budget cycle.
That release, however, will not come automatically. Taway said access to additional capitalization will be tied to two key benchmarks: APECO’s utilization of its 2026 budget and the successful entry of foreign investors into the zone.
“If we are able to deliver on these twin conditions before the start of the budget process and deliberations, we can propose this amount in our 2027 National Expenditure Program,” Taway said.
Meeting those targets, he added, would make it easier for APECO to secure subsequent tranches of funding until the full capitalization is exhausted. “Every year, we will make the request for the same amount until the capitalization is exhausted,” he said.
Established under Republic Act No. 9490 in 2007, APECO was granted a P10-billion capitalization intended as seed funding for infrastructure development, the attraction of business locators, and the delivery of essential services within the economic zone.
This year, APECO has been allocated a P262-million budget, which it is using to advance preparatory and investor-ready projects.
The authority is positioning these initiatives as proof points—demonstrating both spending discipline and market interest—as it presses the government to release the remaining funds needed to accelerate development and compete for foreign investments.
