The Aurora Pacific Economic Zone and Freeport Authority (APECO) expects to secure an operating permit for its airport from the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) by the end of the year to boost tourism and trade in the province.
APECO president and chief executive Gil Taway IV said the agency is prioritizing the completion of all corrective actions identified by CAAP to secure the Permit-to-Operate (PTO).
The airport is operating under a one-time permit (OTP) issued by the CAAP after some initial corrective measures were completed. All flights are processed under this permit.
APECO deputy administrator Angelo Gabriel Mantuano, who oversees the project, said the agency is working to comply with international aviation standards.
“We are currently performing the corrective actions needed to fully comply with ICAO standards, but we also want to accommodate interested investors,” Mantuano said. “This is a transition period.”
Taway said the operational airstrip, which is a 30-minute flight from Manila, is a “game-changer” for investors, showcasing the zone’s potential as a hub along the country’s eastern seaboard.
Last month, National Electrification Administration (NEA) administrator Antonio Mariano Almeda was the first to land at the airport.
He attended a groundbreaking ceremony for P416-million worth of infrastructure projects within APECO.
Following this, executives from Anglicotech Philippines Inc. also landed on the airstrip, a flight Taway said marked the facility’s growing importance to investors.
