Aurora Pacific Economic Zone and Freeport Authority (APECO) chief executive Gil G. Taway IV has secured another three-year term, with the agency under pressure to turn its P30-billion investment pipeline into operating projects, new jobs and infrastructure in Aurora province.
Taway took his oath of office on October 12, 2026, at the APECO Corporate Campus in Casiguran, witnessed by local government officials and Indigenous Peoples’ leaders from Dinalungan, Casiguran and Dilasag.
His reappointment comes as APECO seeks to move beyond investor recruitment and accelerate project implementation, positioning Aurora as a potential industrial, logistics and tourism gateway along the country’s eastern seaboard.
During his first term, the agency built an investment pipeline worth approximately P30 billion involving 15 prospective locators in renewable energy, defense, cold storage, warehousing, tourism, healthcare, skills development and digital connectivity. Since 2024, it has engaged more than 40 international companies exploring opportunities in these sectors.
The pipeline, however, represents prospective investments rather than confirmed operating businesses, making project realization a key test of Taway’s renewed mandate.
APECO said it addressed nearly P800 million worth of previously abandoned infrastructure projects under his leadership, completed 30 capital assets and secured an additional 20.9 hectares of land, including property intended for airport development.
The agency also pursued procurement reforms and closer coordination with national government agencies to improve operational efficiency and investor confidence. It expanded engagement with Indigenous Peoples, including support for ancestral domain titling initiatives in the Dinalungan-Casiguran-Dilasag area.
“We want the government to act as an entrepreneurial pioneer, using public resources to help unlock investments and deliver inclusive growth in areas that have long been underserved,” Taway said during his State of APECO Address.
For his second term, Taway will prioritize infrastructure, defense-related investments and tourism. The immediate challenge is to convert investor interest and completed public assets into measurable economic gains, including sustained employment, stronger local businesses and broader opportunities for Aurora communities.
