The Aurora Pacific Economic Zone and Freeport Authority (APECO) has enlisted US-based Planate Management Group to map investment opportunities and infrastructure requirements for its 12,923-hectare Casiguran ecozone, an initiative that could pave the way for US-backed project financing.
Under a memorandum of agreement signed in Washington on October 30, APECO and Planate will develop a white paper assessing potential investments in ports, airports, defense infrastructure, and related facilities, backed by research, data analysis, and an implementation roadmap.
The study is intended to support a potential funding application to the United States Trade and Development Agency (USTDA), giving the ecozone a more structured basis for attracting infrastructure investments and prospective locators.
APECO President and CEO Gil G. Taway IV and Planate President Chris Decker signed the agreement, under which the Virginia-based engineering and program management firm will provide its services at no cost to the Philippine government agency.
“This partnership marks a significant milestone for APECO and unlocks international technical expertise to support and transform Casiguran into a competitive hub for trade and investment, particularly in manufacturing, emerging technology, and renewable energy,” Taway said.
Decker said the collaboration would give investors and infrastructure partners a data-driven assessment of the ecozone’s commercial potential and a practical blueprint for developing facilities to serve the region over the long term.
One of APECO’s priority projects is the proposed Casiguran International New Port, for which the authority is seeking an investor and operator. The facility is initially envisioned to handle industrial cargo, with potential expansion into transshipment and other maritime services.
APECO is positioning Casiguran as a Pacific-facing gateway for trade and investment, while also pursuing opportunities in defense-related industries, clean energy, and data centers.
The initiative follows the authority’s recent North American investment mission, which sought to attract foreign partners and build interest in projects that could turn the relatively undeveloped ecozone into a regional economic and logistics hub.
