Photo: Mr. Kevin John Domingo, Management Consultant of the Office of the Deputy Administrator, facilitating the session for APECO's reorganization meeting with the agency's Casiguran-based units.
(23 May 2025, Casiguran, Aurora) – The Aurora Pacific Economic Zone and Freeport Authority (APECO) continues to advance its institutional reorganization efforts with a successful round of employee consultations held on 22–23 May 2025. These sessions, designed to engage employees as active stakeholders in shaping the agency's future, included all Casiguran-based units, with a separate consultation conducted for the Corporate Planning Division (CPD) in recognition of its critical role in finalizing the Reorganization Outputs.
Spearheading the sessions was Mr. Kevin John Domingo, Management Consultant of the Office of the Deputy Administrator (ODA), who facilitated the preparation, presentation, and discussion of key components: the Current State Assessment (CSA), the proposed Organizational Structure and Staffing Pattern (OSSP), and the reorganization roadmap. This initiative is being carried out in compliance with GCG Memorandum Circular No. 2015-04.
The CSA, which served as the cornerstone diagnostic report, outlined significant institutional challenges—particularly structural misalignments between the current structure and APECO’s strategic priorities for 2024–2029. These insights guided the development of a proposed four-tiered organizational hierarchy featuring new bureaus, departments, and divisions designed to align with APECO’s core service clusters.
While no issues were raised during the open forum, post-session feedback indicated a strong sense of support and optimism among employees. One participant expressed appreciation for the proposed elevation of certain units to Division status, highlighting its potential to improve stakeholder engagement in the DiCaDi area. Another participant welcomed the formation of a dedicated Human Resources (HR) Division, noting that it addresses long-standing concerns over the agency's reliance on Contract of Service (COS) personnel and the need for a professionalized HR function.
These responses reflect a shared enthusiasm for reforms that prioritize the workforce and affirm APECO’s commitment to inclusive and responsive governance. By placing employee perspectives at the center of this initiative, APECO underscores that this reorganization is not merely a compliance exercise—but a transformative step toward building a more efficient, empowered, and strategically aligned institution. Through these consultations, APECO is fostering a participatory culture and renewed internal momentum, both essential to sustaining the zone’s long-term development mission.
