APECO pitches Malaysian investors on clean-energy, airport dev’t projects

THE Aurora Pacific Economic Zone and Freeport Authority (APECO) said it is soliciting clean energy and airport development investments from Malaysian firms.

In a statement over the weekend, APECO said it will mount an investment mission to Malaysia on July 7-9.

The mission will also gauge interest in seaport development, with APECO positioning itself as a rising port on the Philippines’ Pacific coast.

“APECO will also explore potential partnerships in the halal industry, especially in food and beverage, tourism and related services, as it positions Aurora as a strategic investment destination connected to ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) and Pacific markets,” APECO said.

It plans to promote the Casiguran International New Port and other flagship projects at the 24^th ASEAN Ports and Logistics 2026 Conference on July 8-9 in Kuala Lumpur.

During the event, APECO President and Chief Executive Officer Gil G. Taway IV will join a forum that will discuss the future of ASEAN and global trade routes.

“The session provides APECO with a strategic platform to present Casiguran as a future Pacific-facing gateway for cargo consolidation, storage, processing and redistribution, as shipping lines, logistics firms and port developers look for new routes and resilient trade nodes in the region,” it said.

Participants are estimated at 300 business leaders from the shipping, cargo, import and export, and logistics industries.

APECO will also conduct port benchmarking activities at Port Klang, Malaysia’s primary maritime gateway, it added.

The Aurora ecozone is located 357 kilometers northeast of the Philippine capital.

The ecozone also boasts direct access to the Pacific Ocean, making it an alternative shipping hub for major Asia-Pacific and North American markets, APECO said.

Mr. Taway has said that APECO has attracted P18 billion worth of investments in renewable energy, defense, tourism, agri-processing, cold storage, and skills training. — Beatriz Marie D. Cruz