The Aurora Pacific Economic Zone and Freeport, also known as APECO, was established by virtue o
Republic Act No. 9490 otherwise known as the Aurora Special Economic Zone Act of 2007. It is being supervised and managed by the Aurora Pacific Economic Zone and Freeport Authority into a self-sustaining industrial, commercial, financial, and recreational center, with a suitable residential area, in order to create employment opportunities around
Casiguran, Aurora, and to effectively encourage and attract legitimate and productive local and foreign investments. Anti-APECO advocates, which include farmers, fishers, and indigenous peoples, have cited issues of
land grabbing as well as misspending and poor financial management.
Location
APECO is located in the municipality of
Casiguran in the province of
Aurora
An aurora (plural: auroras or aurorae), also commonly known as the polar lights, is a natural light display in Earth's sky, predominantly seen in high-latitude regions (around the Arctic and Antarctic). Auroras display dynamic patterns of bri ...
, a coastal town in the eastern seaboard of the island of
Luzon
Luzon (; ) is the largest and most populous island in the Philippines. Located in the northern portion of the Philippines archipelago, it is the economic and political center of the nation, being home to the country's capital city, Manila, as ...
in the Philippines. Aurora is enveloped within the provinces of
Isabela,
Quirino
Quirino, officially the Province of Quirino ( ilo, Probinsia ti Quirino; tl, Lalawigan ng Quirino), is a landlocked province in the Philippines located in the Cagayan Valley region in Luzon. Its capital is Cabarroguis. It is named after Elp ...
, and
Nueva Ecija
Nueva Ecija, officially the Province of Nueva Ecija ( tgl, Lalawigan ng Nueva Ecija , also ; ilo, Probinsia ti Nueva Ecija; pag, Luyag/Probinsia na Nueva Ecija; Kapampangan: ''Lalawigan/Probinsia ning Nueva Ecija''), is a landlocked province ...
. It is esteemed as the only economic zone facing the
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean (or, depending on definition, to Antarctica) in the south, and is bounded by the contin ...
, an ideal starting point for the inflow of commerce in the northeastern quadrangle of Luzon. Aurora Province is a 328-kilometer land area facing the
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean (or, depending on definition, to Antarctica) in the south, and is bounded by the contin ...
ornamented with natural wonders. The ecozone was purposely situated in the bay area of Casiguran, a naturally protected enclave cradled by the
Sierra Madre
Sierra Madre (Spanish, 'mother mountain range') may refer to:
Places and mountains Mexico
*Sierra Madre Occidental, a mountain range in northwestern Mexico and southern Arizona
*Sierra Madre Oriental, a mountain range in northeastern Mexico
*S ...
mountain range and the 12,000-hectare
San Ildefonso Peninsula
San Ildefonso Peninsula is a peninsula in Central Luzon, central part of Luzon island, Philippines, at . It is attached to the mainland through a 3.5 mile wide strip of land. Cape San Ildefonso can be found south of the peninsula.
The peninsula ...
. Casiguran and
Baler, the latter being the capital of Aurora, are among the oldest municipalities of Aurora with a combined population of about 53,000. Fishing and farming are considered the major industries of the province.
Indigenous peoples from Casiguran are claiming around 11,500 hectares of APECO land as part of their ancestral domain.
Land area and infrastructure development
APECO has a total of 496 hectares in the mainland of Casiguran and an additional 12,000 hectares in the San Ildefonso Peninsula. Because of its pristine location and natural beauty, this special ecozone is being promoted as an eco-friendly and tourism ecozone.
At present, APECO is undertaking Phase One development consisting of 25 hectares that includes the construction of a 3-star hotel and the administration building. The second phase will involve the construction of an infirmary building and other infrastructure facilities like telecommunications and BPO facilities.
Dumagat opposition
APECO was allegedly approved without consulting local tribal groups, particularly the Dumagat indigenous group, who have been in the area since the 1900s, subsisting on hunting, gathering and fishing. They are opposed to the development of APECO, and are asking the
Supreme Court to cancel the project. Their protests and concerns are the subject of the 2014 documentary ''"The March to Progress in the Philippines"'' by Ditsi Carolino.
The non-governmental organization Task Force Anti-APECO (TFAA) has alleged that APECO has been converting agricultural lands without the required approval from the
Department of Agrarian Reform
The Department of Agrarian Reform ( fil, Kagawaran ng Repormang Pansakahan}, abbreviated as DAR or KRP) is an executive department of the Philippine government responsible for the redistribution of agrarian land in the Philippines.
List of t ...
and that no consultations were held with local government units and indigenous peoples in violation of the
Indigenous People's Rights Act.
See also
*
Subic Bay Freeport Zone (formerly
U.S. Naval Base Subic Bay
Naval Base Subic Bay was a major ship-repair, supply, and rest and recreation facility of the Spanish Navy and subsequently the United States Navy located in Zambales, Philippines. The base was 262 square miles, about the size of Singapore. Th ...
)
*
Cagayan Special Economic Zone
The Cagayan Economic Zone Authority (CEZA) is a government-owned and controlled corporation (GOCC) tasked to manage and supervise the development of the Cagayan Special Economic Zone and Freeport (CSEZFP) in the Philippines.
Its creation and op ...
References
External links
'The March to Progress in the Philippines' documentaryArchive Website of the Aurora Pacific Economic Zone and Freeport AuthorityAurora Pacific Ecozone (APECO) Investor VideoThe Official Website of Philippine Senator Edgardo J. AngaraThe Official Website of the Aurora Pacific Economic Zone and Freeport Authority
{{coord missing, Philippines
Industrial parks in the Philippines
Special economic zones
Buildings and structures in Aurora (province)
PEZA Special Economic Zones