Aurora ecozone hoping to bring in US defense-logistics locator within the quarter

THE Aurora Pacific Economic Zone and Freeport Authority (APECO) said it hopes to bring in a key US defense-logistics locator within the first quarter following a key meeting scheduled soon in the US.

“I really want more defense manufacturing in APECO. That’s why we’re going back to Washington, DC and Virginia,” APECO President Gil G. Taway IV told reporters in a briefing.

The meeting in the DC area will involve Anglicotech LLC, which optimizes supply chains for defense-industry contractors.

APECO first met with defense-focused companies in the US through an Economic and Security Forum in 2024, during which it met around 30 companies.

“That is where we met Anglicotech. So we want to go back to Virginia and Washington so we can talk with them again,” he said.

“We are actually planning an anchor event in Washington, DC, and Virginia where we will gather defense companies big and small,” he added.

“In March, we are also planning to go to… Los Angeles kasi gusto namin ligawan ’yong mga nasa Burbank, ’yong mga film studios (we would like to pitch to the Hollywood movie companies in Burbank),” he said.

“We are also going to Texas for follow-up discussions,” he added.

According to Mr. Taway, APECO is hoping to benefit from a government initiative to make the Philippines more self-reliant on defense.

“The demand is basically (stemming from) our SRDP, or Self-Reliant Defense Posture. And I think Anglicotech also sees other markets that they can supply to in Asia and even Europe,” he added.

APECO is also meeting with retirement companies in Japan, including Long Life Corp., which specializes in retirement communities. — Justine Irish D. Tabile