The Aurora Pacific Economic Zone and Freeport Authority (APECO) is set to begin its Grand Lagoon project turning the ecozone into a tourism site that should entice visitors, benefiting the economic progress of Casiguran and neighboring municipalities.

It is expected to become a driver of job generation and revenue generation to its coffers.

At the groundbreaking ceremony of the APECO Casiguran site, APECO president and CEO Gil Taway IV and APECO chairperson Anelyn Ciudadano said the construction of the Grand Lagoon will commence on the second week of November.

 “We are now finalizing the conceptual design. We are expecting that it would draw tourist arrivals here and the whole Aurora Province, especially in Dilasag, Casiguran Dinalungan. This is a two-hectare development project of APECO, connecting the series of lagoons to the Casiguran Cove,” Taway said.

He said the project’s first phase was allocated with P50 million to P70 million.

“A second and third phase might be incorporated for the project, which means another P50 to P70 million funding. In terms of job creation, we are expecting to produce 500 to 1000 jobs because of this project,” Taway noted.  

He said part of the development of the Grand Lagoon is having amenities such as Gondolas just like Venice in Italy, as well as glamping, boating activities, boutiques and restaurants.

“Aside from the jobs that the project would produce, the main idea is based on the goal of APECO to produce job opportunities and generate economic activities. What we want to achieve is for small traders to place shops and boutiques. They are welcome from all walks of life,” according to Taway.

For her part, Ciudadano said sustainable development goes hand in hand with generating jobs.

“The main purpose is to generate more jobs in the entire Casiguran and neighboring municipalities,” Ciudadano said.

The APECO management treats the Grand Lagoon project as a crown jewel that will put Casiguran on the tourism map.

“APECO shall introduce more revenue-generating infrastructure projects. In the next months to come, we are ready to ground-break mixed-commercial and corporate office spaces and convention centers that are surrounded by green spaces. This fits our goal to attract business process outsourcing and to pivot into MICE, or the emerging industry of Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions Tourism,” Taway said in his State of APECO Address, also on Friday.

“We know of the beauty of Casiguran that harkens to that of fair Greece and we are introducing that mimic: the grandeur of old Rome so that we can proudly broadcast it to the world,” he said.