Taiwan, Norway firms to locate in Aurora ecozone

By Ferdie G. Domingo

Two foreign locators are lining up P15-million worth of investments at the Aurora Pacific Special Economic Zone in fish processing, papaya plantation, bluefin tuna and in the production of eel, the first large-scale commercial culture of its kind in the country.

Malcolm Sarmiento, Apeco president and chief executive, said Nantsan of Taiwan and Pro Feeds Inc. of Norway have filed applications to do business at the 1,000-hectare zone in Casiguran with its own pier and airport to support agro-industries, mariculture and eco-tourism.

Sarmiento said Nantsan wanted to put up sea cages for raising grouper species, plant papaya at a 10-hectare site and produce and process eel, a freshwater variety.

He said Pro feeds planned to culture bluefin tuna inside Casiguran Sound which had the viable  26 degrees Centigrade for raising the fish.

Bluefin is a premium variety, Santiago said, noting that recently a 200-kilo bluefin fetched $1.7 million (roughly P85 million) at the Chukiji fishport in Tokyo during an auction.

The Philippines is seventh among the world’s top tuna producers with exports of frozen and canned tuna reaching $284.254 million in 2011, according to the Board of Investments.

Sarmiento said the investors favored Aurora because it was “among the few provinces in the country that is still rich in natural resources.”

Sen. Edgardo Angara, who authored the law that created Apeco said the ecozone is the country’s premier gateway to the Pacific.

“Its accessibility to Manila and to other logistic and investment hubs in Luzon via land and air makes it an ideal starting point for the inflow of commerce,” he said.

Source: http://manilastandardtoday.com/2013/02/19/taiwan-norway-firms-to-locate-in-aurora-ecozone/

3,000 townsfolk back economic zone

Thursday, 12 April, 2012 Written by Ferdie G. Domingo

CASIGURAN — Some 3,000 residents of this remote coastal town want themselves counted in a show of support to the Aurora Special Economic Zone.

At a recent assembly led by Governor Bellaflor Angara-Castillo, Vice Mayor Lordan Roxas and other local executives were joined by Dumagat tribalfolk, women and students in a forum at the multi-purpose hall in Barangay Bianoan.

The assembly drew up a manifesto “pushing for change and progress and also uphold the people’s social rights to have decent jobs, orderly lives, a peaceful society, a healthy and balanced environment and progress responsive to social justice.”

Roberto Mathay, Apeco president and chief executive officer, welcomed the show of unity and cooperation for peace, respect for human rights and the progress and development of Aurora.

“Apeco signifies the growth and development of Aurora and in the course of developing the province, we go through lawful processes,” he told Manila Standard.

Mathay said the ecozone was standing by its commitment to uphold the indigenous peoples’ right to their ancestral lands.

He said development included the concreting of unpaved sections of the 120-kilometer Baler-Casiguran Road, the expansion of the Casiguran airport, establishment of an agro-industrial park and other infrastructure to attract investors in food processing, mariculture, footwear, call center and other job-generating industries.

Mathay said tourism is being integrated in a masterplan for hotels and retirement houses along with community housing, fish cages for aquaculture and seaweed plantations and livelihood training for high-value crops.

Kent Avestruz, Apeco deputy administrator, said other localities in the northern part of the province will also benefit from the ecozone.
“With Apeco, we will not only have good roads and transport systems but also an improved economic situation in this part of Aurora,” he said.

Source: http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/2012/04/12/3000-townsfolk-back-economic-zone/

APECO gets P79-M grant from South Korea

Dec 6 2011 03:03 am

Published : Saturday, December 03, 2011

Written by : Mamer Bañez

CASIGURAN, Aurora -- The South Korean government has extended a P79.2-million grant to the Aurora Pacific Economic Zone (Apeco) to bankroll the feasibility studies for three major projects inside the ecozone.

Robbie Mathay, Apeco president and chief executive officer, said the Korean grant, which is coursed through the Korean Export-Import Bank, will be used to finance studies for water system, hydroelectric power and waste management systems inside the ecozone.

 He said the Korean grant not only manifests the Korean government’s resolve to help the Philippines, which has Korea as its fifth largest trade partner but also its confidence in the economic prospects and opportunities in Apeco.

Mathay said the Korean government has been very supportive in developing Apeco. Early this year, it funded a feasibility study through a P15-million grant from the Korean Economic Development Cooperation Fund for the construction of a  P2.4-billion international container seaport aimed to transform this economic zone into a logistics hub for exportation of agro-fishery, timber and industrial products in central and northern Luzon.

He said the seaport project is now awaiting approval of the National Economic Development Authority for funding under the Official Development Assistance of the Korean government with counterpart funding from the national government. A consortium composed of the Dasan Engineering and DY Engineering companies completed the feasibility study for the international container seaport after three months.

The proposed modern container port, which is projected to be finished in four years, will complement the domestic seaport and will attract business locators.

He added that the Korean government has also expressed interest in constructing an all-weather road in the remaining unpaved portion of the 120-kilometer Baler-Casiguran Road.

Source: http://www.journal.com.ph/index.php/news/provincial/18716-apeco-gets-p79-m-grant-from-sokor

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