The Aurora Pacific Economic Zone and Freeport Authority (APECO) has entered into a lease agreement with AuHarvest Training and Assessment Center, a premier TESDA-accredited institution, to bring world-class technical and vocational training to Casiguran, Aurora.
APECO president and chief executive Gil Taway IV and AuHarvest president Raquel Patano signed the agreement on Nov. 21, 2025, at the Hilton Clark Sun Valley Resort in Angeles City, Pampanga.
Under the agreement, AuHarvest will lease space within the APECO Corporate Campus, generating additional revenue for the ecozone while supporting its drive to strengthen the local workforce and attract future investors.
Through the partnership, AuHarvest will set up a technical and vocational training hub offering industry-aligned, TESDA-accredited programs designed to serve both APECO locators and emerging industries across Aurora. Program graduates will earn national certification, boosting their employability and preparing them for jobs within the ecozone or in other sectors.
Taway said the partnership underscores APECO’s commitment to human capital development as the foundation of long-term growth.
“Our goal is to make sure that progress in APECO directly uplifts the lives of our people. By partnering with AuHarvest, we are investing in Casiguran’s greatest resource — its people,” he said.
AuHarvest chairman Edgardo Manda, former general manager of the Manila International Airport Authority, said their investment aims to expand access to practical skills training and livelihood opportunities for residents of Casiguran and nearby communities.
“We aim to empower the people of Casiguran and the surrounding communities by providing them with accessible technical education and livelihood opportunities,” he said.
