The Aurora Pacific Economic Zone and Freeport Authority (APECO) has signed a memorandum of understanding with InfiniVAN Inc. to accelerate digital infrastructure development, a move officials say could position the ecozone as a competitive destination for data center investments.
Signed on March 27, the agreement centers on expanding high-capacity connectivity within the Aurora Pacific Economic Zone, with both parties aiming to attract technology-driven locators amid rising global demand for data storage and processing—particularly from artificial intelligence applications.
APECO President and CEO Gil Taway IV said the agency is already in talks with two to three prospective investors from the United States and local firms. However, he noted that project scale remains fluid, with discussions spanning both commercial facilities and hyperscale operations.
The initiative also highlights a critical interdependence: digital infrastructure and energy supply. Increased data center activity is expected to drive significant power demand, aligning with APECO’s parallel push to build a clean energy portfolio to support future investors.
At the core of the partnership is the planned development of a terrestrial fiber network linking the ecozone in Casiguran, Aurora, to key submarine cable landing points in Baler, Claveria, and other emerging Northern Luzon corridors. This connectivity backbone is seen as essential to ensuring low-latency, high-reliability service—key requirements for global hyperscalers.
InfiniVAN officials underscored the capital-intensive nature of such infrastructure, with underground fiber costing up to ₱4.5 million per kilometer. Despite higher upfront costs, the company favors underground deployment for resilience, particularly for mission-critical data center operations.
To balance speed and cost, initial rollout may include aerial fiber installations before transitioning underground as demand scales. InfiniVAN said it can deploy infrastructure within six months once a locator commits, a timeline that could prove निर्णive in securing investors.
The partnership signals APECO’s broader strategy: coupling connectivity readiness with sustainable energy to compete for high-value digital investments in Southeast Asia.
