Dumagat leaders: Apeco will protect ancestral lands

written by Mamer Bañez

CASIGURAN, Aurora -- The Aurora Pacific Economic Zone and Freeport Authority (APECO) reiterated its pledge to protect the ancestral domain of the Dumagats in North Eastern Luzon.

Robbie Mathay, CEO and president of Apeco, said Apeco would help the Dumagats protect and preserve their ancestral lands through projects that promote eco-tourism.

In the next few years, APECO sees tourism activities in Casiguran managed by the Bantay-Gubat from the indigenous Dumagat community.

Bantay-Gubat is a Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) project that hires emergency forest extension workers that would act as forest guards. They have the following duties: patrolling, monitoring for any sign of forest fire, seed collection, information gathering about ongoing activities, and assisting in information dissemination.

Dumagat leaders underscored the importance of cooperating with Apeco, coming in full support during the budget hearing in Senate last month. “We won’t accept money from Apeco,” said Conchita Descarga, Community Relations Officer of the Dumagats.

“We don’t need money, we need land. With regards to ancestral domain, Apeco knows our lands and they respect that it is ours,” she added, disputing claims of land grabbing.                        

APECO EYES SEPARATE FUNDING FOR AIR; SEAPORTS

BY BUTCH FERNANDEZ

ADMINISTRATORS of the Aurora Pacific Economic Zone and Freeport Authority (APECO) are eyeing separate funding sources to facilitate early completion of its air and seaport projects to attract more local and foreign investors to the region.

Roberto Mathay, APECO president and chief executive officer, confirmed ongoing efforts by the national government to tap the Korean Export-Import funding for the seaport project under the official development assistance (ODA) program.

Mathay said additional funding of P92 million is being allocated by the Philippine government in the annual national expenditure program to complete a proposed 1.5 kilometer airport runway, under the civil aeronautics authority.

This developed as Sen. Frank Drilon, finance committee chairman, announced after a public hearing on Wednesday that APECO's proposed 2012 budget, amounting to P332.5 million, is deemed submitted for approval, despite opposition from restive residents affected by the projects.

"We are going to try to tract more locators to APECO pa rin. Our mandate is to bring varied business interests in marine-culture business, as well as ecotourism to the zone so we can transform it to something the people from Casiguran can be proud of," Mathay said. "We are [also] looking to mariculture, or other businesses which are more fitting to the area. We would like to focus on small to medium enterprises, both from the Philippines and abroad."

Mathay disclosed they have, likewise, requested funding from Congress, as part of their capital outlay for this year, to have "a standard factory building where we can have smaller companies establish their operations in the zone."

He reported that the mariculture business at the zone include raising bangus and tilapia and processing these to fillet or fish ball which are then sold to the local market and nearby provinces, such as Isabela and Quirino. "Eventually, we may also export them." he added.

"There are other prospects. One company we are signing up plans to put up sea cages. We are trying to finalize the details [for their operation] by November," Mathay said.

APECO vows sustainable development in Northeast Luzon

Published : Thursday, October 06, 2011
Written by : Mamer Bañez


BALER,  Aurora -- The Aurora Pacific Economic Zone and Freeport Authority (APECO) under the Department of  Trade and Industry reiterated its pledge to lead sustainable development in Northeast Luzon during the budget hearing at the Senate the other day.

“APECO would not only lead sustainable development in North Eastern Luzon but also to foster socio-economic growth and businesses throughout the eastern seaboard,” said Robby Mathay, president and chief executive officer of APECO.

Last month, the Congress approved the proposed P332.5-million 2012 budget of APECO amid protest from militant groups belonging to Catholic Church and Multi-Sectoral Group (MSAG).

During Apeco’s budget hearing by the Senate committee on finance chaired by Sen. Franklin Drilon, Mathay explained that the ongoing infrastructure development in Apeco is at full blast. The administration building and entrance plaza, costing P98 million and P15 million respectively, will be completed by November 2011. The hotel building worth P202 million will be completed by March 2012.

He also discussed the proposed infrastructure development for 2012 namely, the standard factory building worth P212.5 million and the Light Industrial building which is worth P180 million.

The Casiguran Airport’s 1.2 kilometer airstrip is being expanded to 1.5 kilometer worth P92 million. The extension project will be finished by June 2012.

Mathay also said four Taiwanese-owned companies have signified their interest to invest in mariculture, agri-business and port construction in APECO in recognition of the ecozone and province’s enormous potential for business expansion.

These are Chinabond which is now venturing into organic rice production in APECO, hog raising, feed processing and hydroelectric power generation; TP Color Corporation, which is also in the mining industry, is set to expand into port construction and operation; Philippine Kingford is a company that specializes in tuna export, ship repair and freight forwarding; Great Sun Optoelectronic is a highly diversified company engaged in construction, trading, manufacturing computer and TV monitors and providing medical services. It will invest in an aquaculture facility for milkfish and grouper breeding, as well as a coconut processing plant.


Source: http://www.journal.com.ph/index.php/news/provincial/14737-apeco-vows-sustainable-devt-in-northeast-luzon