The Aurora Pacific Economic Zone and Freeport Authority (APECO) is poised to release in April its updated master plan with a focus on defense manufacturing, agro-processing and tourism.
In an interview on the sidelines of the inauguration of the Authority’s new office in Parañaque City on March 13, APECO president and chief executive officer (CEO) Gil Taway IV said the zone has been attracting locators in the defense and aviation sectors which will support the master plan’s vision to make the area a defense hub.
Taway said the APECO’s master plan will be aligned with the government’s goal of achieving food security, energy security and national security, as the zone was previously focused solely on agro-processing and light industries.
He noted the development of the airport, manufacture of aircraft as well as warehousing of military supplies as some of the prospective investments.
Taway said he met with Portugal honorary consul Ramon Garcia Jr. on March 10 to discuss Portuguese firm Amadeus’ interest to develop the airport to accommodate bigger aircraft for commercial and tourism purposes over the long term.
APECO will be a joint venture partner and will handle the right-of-way as well as expansion of the air strip, Taway said. As an initial step to accommodate chartered flights, APECO is in the process of obtaining a permit to operate from the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, he added. He said APECO will also invest in air navigation and air traffic systems.
In defense manufacturing, Taway said American firm Anglicotech, which also operates in Subic, plans to set up in a 5-hectare area in APECO warehouses that will store meals ready-to-eat for US troops in Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement sites as well disaster relief supplies. He did not provide details except to say he has met with Anglicotech’s officials twice in 2024 to discuss the plans.
In a separate interview also on March 13, Raymond Mitra, Philippine Aeronautical Development Corp. (PADC) president and CEO, bared plans to set up its aircraft manufacturing facility in APECO.
Mitra said PADC’s facility in Santa Rosa, Laguna is in the early stages of assembling the Philippines’ own RV10 and RV12, primarily for maritime patrol, reconnaissance, surveillance and agricultural applications like cloud seeding and fertilizer spraying for government defense forces and private enterprises.
The aircraft’s manufacturer, Oregon-based Vans, in partnership with Oceana Aerotech Management Corp., will transfer the technology for free, he added. Vans will also provide the kits for assembly but Mitra declined to disclose the project cost. Mitra said for this venture, PADC has partnered with Golden Mid-J Defense Inc., a Singaporean-backed corporation, for the customization of the aircraft.
The original news article, written by Ms. Irma Isip, was first featured on Malaya Business Insight on 17 March 2025. To view the original article, please click here.
