President Marcos vows to continue unfinished APECO projects

MANILA, Philippines — The government is committed to continue the Aurora Pacific Economic Zone and Freeport Authority (APECO) projects – worth P796 million – that were stalled due to problems with contracts, President Marcos assured.

“One of the issues we are finding a solution for is the abandoned APECO projects worth about P800 million,” the President said on Friday during the distribution of assistance to farmers and fisherfolk in Baler, Aurora.

He said APECO president and chief executive officer Gil Taway IV has decided to stop and rebid the projects.

“This has been a huge waste which could have been benefiting the people of Aurora by now,” Marcos said.

“It has been decided to stop and rebid the contracts so the projects can be completed as soon as possible,” the President added.

In a previous interview, Taway said some of the projects were 80 percent complete but were abandoned.

Last month, APECO announced that it aims to entice investments in the agro-industrial, energy and defense sectors. 

Aside from the APECO projects, Marcos also committed to finish the Baler Airport development project so the facility could accommodate bigger aircraft and increase its passenger capacity.

Marcos noted that the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines already facilitated the land purchase in June.

He added that the funds for the construction would be released this August.

“After this, we will construct the passenger terminal building,” the President said. 

Marcos reported that the Dingalan-Baler road project is about 50 percent complete.  

Republic Act 11957, which lapsed into law in August last year, declares Baler as “birthplace of Philippine surfing.”