Long-time critics of the Aurora Pacific Economic Zone and Freeport Authority (APECO) from Indigenous Peoples (IP) communities now express support for the agency’s renewed direction under president and CEO Gil G. Taway IV, a lawyer, who assumed leadership in October 2023.
Speaking during the opening of APECO Week 2025 in Casiguran, Aurora, prominent community and IP leaders acknowledged a major change in their perception of the agency—once accused of marginalization and exclusion. They cited the agency’s “transformative governance” approach as key to restoring trust and ensuring inclusive development.
Jerome Gonzales, president of the IP Chieftains’ Association of Casiguran LGU, highlighted APECO’s recent efforts to facilitate the long-delayed issuance of Certificates of Ancestral Domain Title (CADT), some pending as far back as 2007. “If I still have doubts, it’s just 20 percent now,” Gonzales said, noting APECO’s role in promoting inclusive dialogue.
Dibet barangay captain Jesus O. Cezar, once a leading anti-APECO protester, also lauded the agency’s reformed approach. “I was one of the number one critics,” he said. “Now, we deeply appreciate the value and trust APECO places in Indigenous communities.”
Former APECO critic-turned-ally, Regina Eneria—now head of the APECO IP Desk and an Agta leader—credited the agency’s reforms in community engagement, job creation, and environmental stewardship. “APECO really helps,” she said, citing salaries from programs like Bantay Gubat that enable families to send children to school.
Key institutional changes include quarterly consultations with IP groups, establishment of an IP Desk, and integrated efforts to ensure land rights are protected—initiatives aligned with Taway’s “Bagong APECO” vision.
“This is not just a leadership shift—it’s a cultural and governance transformation,” said Taway. “We listen, consult, and build progress together.”
The growing alignment between APECO and IP communities marks a significant milestone in corporate policy, signaling the power of inclusive leadership in resolving long-standing tensions over economic development and ancestral domain rights.
