TRAINING HUB AT APECO. APECO through President and CEO Atty. Gil G. Taway IV (2nd from left) and AuHarvest through President Raquel S. Patano (3rd from right) entered into a lease agreement for the latter’s training center inside the Casiguran-based ecozone. The signing ceremony was held at the Hilton Clark Sun Valley in Angeles, Pampanga on 21 November 2025 and was witnessed by APECO Deputy Administrator Angelo Gabriel D. Mantuano (leftmost) and AuHarvest Vice President for Operations Charmilyn D. Cacdac (rightmost).
24 November 2025, Clark, Pampanga — The Aurora Pacific Economic Zone and Freeport Authority (APECO) and AuHarvest Training and Assessment Center, a premier TESDA-accredited institution, signed a lease agreement that will bring world-class technical and vocational training to Casiguran.
The lease agreement was signed between APECO President and CEO Atty. Gil G. Taway IV and AuHarvest Training and Assessment Center President Raquel S. Patano on 21 November 2025 at Hilton Clark Sun Valley Resort in Angeles, Pampanga, with APECO Deputy Administrator Angelo Gabriel D. Mantuano and AuHarvest Vice President for Operations Chamilyn D. Cacdac as witnesses to the signing ceremony.
Under the agreement, AuHarvest will lease a space within the APECO Corporate Campus in Casiguran, Aurora, generating revenue for the ecozone.
The partnership backs APECO’s continuing effort to promote inclusive economic growth by strengthening the local workforce to meet the demands of future investors.
Through this collaboration, AuHarvest will establish a technical and vocational training hub that will offer industry-aligned programs. These training courses will be Technical Education Skills Development Authority (TESDA)-accredited and tailored to support both APECO locators and emerging industries across Aurora.
Graduates from the programs will gain national certification and enhanced employability, making them ready to work for APECO locators or other enterprises in the various industries.
PCEO Taway emphasized that the partnership reflects the ecozone’s shift toward human capital development as a foundation for sustainable growth.
“Our goal is to make sure that progress in APECO directly uplifts the lives of our people. By partnering with AuHarvest, we are investing in Casiguran’s greatest resource—its people. We want them to be equipped with the right skills and certifications so that they can be part of the opportunities that our locators will soon bring,” said PCEO Taway.
AuHarvest Chairman Edgardo Manda, who is the former General Manager of the Manila International Airport Authority, said in his speech that its investment in APECO aims to provide accessible technical education and livelihood opportunities for the people of Casiguran and its nearby communities.
“Through this partnership, AuHarvest hopes to contribute meaningfully by developing a pool of skilled and competent workers who will serve the needs of APECO locators and industries. We aim to empower the people of Casiguran and the surrounding communities by providing them with accessible technical education and livelihood opportunities,” Mr. Manda said.
The partnership between APECO and AuHarvest aligns with the national government’s agenda of improving regional competitiveness through workforce development, investment promotion, and inclusive education. By establishing a strong pipeline of skilled workers, APECO continues to position Casiguran as an investment-ready ecozone in the country.
