The Aurora Pacific Economic Zone and Freeport Authority can now directly accredit importers and exporters after the Bureau of Customs (BOC) issued an order formally recognizing the Casiguran ecozone as an importing and exporting freeport and a Customs Client Profile Registration System (CPRS) accrediting agency.
The Customs Memorandum Order (CMO) No. 05-2026, signed on April 6 by Commissioner Ariel F. Nepomuceno, amends provisions of CMO No. 19-2019 to include APECO among government agencies authorized to accredit importers and exporters for CPRS activation.
The same order also formally lists APECO as a recognized free zone authority, aligning it with other major economic zone regulators in the country.
“This development is expected to unlock pending investments and fast-track decision-making among our prospective locators. Some investors have been waiting for this formal recognition before proceeding with their projects, particularly those with import-export requirements,” said APECO President and CEO Gil G. Taway IV.
The CPRS is a mandatory registration system for importers and exporters transacting with the BOC.
Previously, locators had to coordinate with multiple agencies to complete their accreditation, often delaying operational timelines. With the new policy, APECO can now facilitate CPRS accreditation directly, enabling faster activation and smoother customs transactions.
Taway also thanked the BOC and the Department of Finance, led by Secretary Frederick D. Go, for supporting the issuance, noting that it strengthens inter-agency coordination and investment promotion.
The development is expected to reinforce APECO’s push to position itself as the country’s “Gateway to the Pacific,” serving as a strategic hub for trade, logistics, and emerging industries in the Asia-Pacific region.