News Details

APECO to Host First Indonesian Business Forum, Eyes Aurora as New Investment Gateway

NPO

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August 21, 2025

CASIGURAN, Aurora – The Aurora Pacific Economic Zone and Freeport Authority (APECO) will hold its first-ever international business forum on Aug. 23, welcoming a 55-member delegation from the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KADIN).

APECO President and CEO Gil G. Taway IV said the forum seeks to position Aurora as the Philippines’ next investment frontier, with Indonesian capital matching local projects in key sectors such as agriculture, fisheries, renewable energy, eco-tourism, logistics, and defense industries.

The high-profile delegation, led by KADIN Chairman Anindya Bakrie, includes senior executives from industries spanning infrastructure, healthcare, energy, mining, shipping, aviation, and digital technology. Indonesia’s sovereign wealth fund, Danantara—managing assets estimated at USD900 billion—is also expected to participate.

Keynote speakers will include Indonesian Ambassador Agus Widjojo and Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, Chair of the Senate Committee on Finance. Philippine agencies including the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP), the Philippine Fisheries Development Authority (PFDA), and the Aurora Provincial Government will present major infrastructure opportunities, particularly APECO’s airport and seaport projects.

“This is a historic moment for APECO. For the first time, we are hosting a foreign business mission. The trust and confidence shown by KADIN and its members reflect Aurora’s growing role as an investment gateway to the Pacific,” Taway said.

With its location on the eastern seaboard, APECO is being positioned as a strategic transshipment hub linking Southeast Asia to Japan, South Korea, and the United States. The event also highlights APECO’s “Bagong APECO” reset—an initiative to transform the ecozone into both an economic driver and a national security hub aligned with the Philippines’ regional development priorities.

NPO News Team | PNA-PR