Aurora Pacific Economic Zone and Freeport Authority (APECO) is proposing the development of a railway project across Luzon that would provide a direct link between the Casiguran, Aurora province-based ecozone and the Luzon Economic Corridor (LEC).

APECO President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Gil Taway IV told reporters on Thursday, July 16, that the investment promotion agency (IPA) is preparing proposals for the railway and three other infrastructure projects to secure government funding.

Taway said the funding, which will be sourced through the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Center, will support the feasibility studies (FS) for the projects.

In particular, APECO is looking to tap funding from the project development and monitoring facility (PDMF) managed by the PPP Center.

PDMF is a funding mechanism available to implementing agencies for activities related to the implementation of PPP projects, such as FS.

The APECO chief said securing government funding to undertake studies that will determine the viability of these projects is crucial to obtaining counterpart funding from the private sector.

Without public funding, he noted, it would be challenging to demonstrate to private-sector investors that the projects carry minimal risks.

APECO business development and marketing division manager Gene Angelo Ferrer said this is particularly important as the ecozone looks to capitalize on the growth potential of LEC, which is located along the western seaboard of Luzon.

Ferrer said the proposed East-West Railway Project would enable the movement of people and goods from Aurora to LEC’s primary economic hubs, such as Clark and Subic.

LEC is an economic partnership among the Philippines, the United States (US), Japan, and other countries aimed at boosting economic activity across Subic Bay, Clark, Manila, and Batangas province through coordinated investments.

Ferrer added that APECO will also propose a similar interregional infrastructure project in the form of an expressway.

“We understand the complementation between APECO and the LEC. The connection of the railway and road infrastructure is the one that will actually activate that,” he said.

The proposed Casiguran International Airport and Casiguran International New Port are the two other projects for which the IPA is seeking funding under PDMF.

For the airport, Taway said APECO is scheduled to bid out the air traffic control tower and passenger terminal building by the end of July. The two projects are expected to cost a combined ₱60 million.

He said low-cost carrier Cebu Pacific and boutique airline Sunlight Air have already signaled interest in mounting flights from the airport once it becomes operational.

Further, Taway said the IPA is also interested in securing funding from the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) to expedite the FS for the seaport.