Senate lawmakers have increased the proposed 2026 budget of the Aurora Pacific Economic Zone and Freeport Authority (APECO), signifying the national government’s renewed trust and confidence in the agency’s reforms and strategic direction under its new leadership.

During the budget deliberation of the Department of Trade and Industry, senators raised APECO’s allocation to ₱380 million — a 45 percent increase from the original ₱262.46-million proposal recommended by the Department of Budget and Management.

APECO President and CEO Atty. Gil G. Taway IV said the substantial boost reflects the Senate’s recognition of the agency’s strengthened role in driving sustainable development, generating jobs, and advancing economic growth in Dinalungan, Casiguran, Dilasag (DiCaDi), and the rest of Aurora province. He also credited the increase to the significant turnaround and reforms APECO has achieved since the new management took over in October 2023.

Taway thanked the Senate, particularly Senate Committee on Finance Chairperson Senator Sherwin Gatchalian and Sub-Committee Vice Chairperson Senator Imee Marcos, for their support in securing a higher budget ceiling for 2026.

“APECO commits to honoring the trust granted by the lawmakers by ensuring that every peso is optimized for programs that uplift communities and advance regional economic growth,” Taway said.

Key components of the 2026 budget include the Corporate Campus Development, a two-hectare green space with lagoons connected to a canal leading to Casiguran Cove; the JPEC Phase 2 project, designed to expand retail accommodations as part of the ecozone’s MICE tourism program; and the APECO Central Expressway, a four-lane road network that will cut travel time between the northern and southern ends of the zone and connect its two industrial hubs.

Taway stressed the importance of government investments in road networks, an airport, seaports, and other enabling infrastructure to make the area viable for investors and prepare northern Aurora for an expected increase in tourists.

“These projects support APECO’s long-term vision of building a thriving economic corridor in the Luzon’s eastern seaboard and inclusive growth for the people of Aurora,” PCEO Taway added.