CASIGURAN, Aurora — Undersecretary Gil G. Taway IV has been reappointed as president and chief executive officer of the Aurora Pacific Economic Zone and Freeport Authority (APECO) for another three-year term, pledging to accelerate investments, infrastructure development, and job generation in Aurora province.

Taway took his oath of office on October 12, 2026, at the APECO Corporate Campus in Casiguran before barangay captains from the municipality. The ceremony was led by Eliseo E. Castaneda, barangay captain of Esteves, and witnessed by Dinalungan Mayor Arvee A. Vargas, Casiguran Mayor Roynald S. Soriano, Dilasag Mayor Romner A. Agustin, and Indigenous Peoples’ leaders from the area.

His reappointment comes as APECO seeks to convert its investment pipeline, valued at approximately PHP30 billion and involving 15 prospective locators, into operational businesses, completed infrastructure, and employment opportunities for residents of Aurora and neighboring communities.

The prospective investments cover renewable energy, defense, cold storage and warehousing, tourism, health services, training and skills development, and digital connectivity.

During his first three-year term, Taway pursued institutional reforms and shifted the agency’s focus toward industrial development and community-based growth to rebuild confidence in the economic zone following its association with Philippine offshore gaming operations.

Among his key accomplishments was addressing nearly PHP800 million worth of abandoned infrastructure projects, including the underground power distribution line, central water supply and reservoir, sewage treatment plant, and road network within the economic zone.

Under his leadership, APECO also completed 30 capital assets and secured an additional 20.9 hectares of land, including property intended for airport development.

The agency reported generating 135 additional positions within its workforce and around 1,200 jobs through infrastructure projects in the ecozone. APECO’s workforce grew to 253 employees, 60 of whom belong to Indigenous Peoples communities.

Of the reported 1,200 infrastructure-related jobs, 1,060 were skilled workers and laborers, 100 were technical workers and engineering assistants, and 35 were engineers, according to the agency’s figures.

APECO also strengthened its engagement with Indigenous Peoples in the Dinalungan-Casiguran-Dilasag (DiCaDi) area, supporting their efforts to secure Certificates of Ancestral Domain Title through the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples.

The agency likewise reported generating savings through competitive bidding as part of its efforts to promote transparency, fiscal discipline, and the efficient use of public funds.

To support investment promotion, project development, and regulatory compliance, APECO expanded coordination with national government agencies, including the Department of Trade and Industry, Board of Investments, Public-Private Partnership Center, Department of National Defense, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, Office of the Government Corporate Counsel, National Development Company, and National Anti-Poverty Commission.

For his second term, Taway aims to position APECO as a strategic economic gateway along the country’s eastern seaboard, with infrastructure, defense, and tourism serving as key development priorities.

“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 in Filipino during the 2026 State of APECO Address on October 12.

APECO expects two locators to begin operations within the year: Swiss firm International Workplace Group (IWG) and Freya Trading Inc., which is set to launch the Super Health Center and the AuHarvest Training and Assessment Center, respectively. The latter has Australian equity and is intended to help upskill Aurora’s workforce.

Meanwhile, negotiations with United States-based defense logistics company Anglicotech LLC have reached an advanced stage, with construction of its proposed facility inside the economic zone expected to begin soon.

Taway said his second term would prioritize turning investor interest into concrete projects that generate jobs for residents of DiCaDi and the wider province of Aurora, while strengthening APECO’s role as the country’s gateway to the Pacific.

Since 2024, APECO has engaged more than 40 global companies to explore investment opportunities in renewable energy, defense, digital infrastructure, logistics, fisheries, tourism, and industrial development.

The agency’s next challenge is to translate these discussions and investment commitments into operating businesses, sustained employment, and tangible economic benefits for communities in Aurora. (Jason de Asis)

TOP 📸 || APECO CHIEF REAPPOINTED | Usec. Gil G. Taway IV begins his second three-year term as APECO president and CEO, vowing to accelerate investments, infrastructure development, and job creation to boost economic growth in Aurora Province. (Jason de Asis)