As the Philippines steps up efforts to strengthen healthcare security and attract high-value investments, the Aurora Pacific Economic Zone and Freeport Authority (APECO) and the Philippine Pharmaceutical Procurement Inc. (PPPI) are exploring the establishment of a pharmaceutical investment hub in Casiguran, Aurora.
The proposed project is aligned with the administration’s push to improve access to affordable medicines, modernize healthcare systems, and position the Philippines as a competitive destination for pharmaceutical and life sciences investments in Asia.
On April 24, APECO President and Chief Executive Officer Atty. Gil G. Taway IV and PPPI President and CEO Maria Blanca Kim Bernardo-Lokin held an initial meeting at APECO’s satellite office in Parqal, Aseana City, Parañaque City to discuss potential areas of collaboration between the two government-owned and controlled corporations.
During the meeting, PPPI identified several possible components for the proposed pharma hub, including research and development, clinical trials, cold chain logistics, warehousing, and other related support services.
Taway said APECO is ready to host industries that require dependable infrastructure, efficient regulation, and long-term investment support.
“We are building APECO as a complete, investment-ready ecosystem. For industries like pharmaceuticals that demand stability, efficiency, and scale, our ecozone provides the environment where they can operate and grow with confidence,” he said.
APECO said it has available land in Parcel 1 for a potential pharmaceutical hub, covering 496 hectares within the 12,923 hectares under its management under Republic Act 10083 of 2010.
Taway added that ongoing initiatives to improve power supply, water access, and logistics connectivity are critical in meeting the requirements of pharmaceutical locators, particularly those involved in R&D, cold chain storage, and distribution.
For her part, Bernardo-Lokin said PPPI is drafting its roadmap with the Department of Trade and Industry-Supply Chain and Logistics Group to develop a nationwide network of pharma hubs, with APECO being considered as one of the potential pharmaceutical ecozones.
“We can position the Philippines as a competitive regional hub in Asia for global pharmaceutical firms, leveraging our strengths in R&D, clinical trials, and logistics. This collaboration with APECO not only strengthens our role in the global pharma value chain but also directly supports the administration’s priority of improving access to affordable, quality healthcare for all Filipinos,” Bernardo-Lokin said.