(25 March 2025, Casiguran) - For the first time since its establishment, the Annual Indigenous Peoples Leaders’ Consultative Meeting (AIPLCM) was held in the Aurora Pacific Economic Zone and Freeport Authority (APECO) where Indigenous Peoples’ (IP) chieftains and leaders from the different municipalities of Aurora tackled pressing issues and concerns their settlements may have. As part of this significant meeting, APECO also hosted the official voting of the new Provincial Council of Chieftains of Aurora within its halls marking yet another significant milestone for the IP communities in Aurora.
By hosting the AIPLCM, APECO acknowledges the importance of unity and camaraderie among IP chieftains and leaders, fostering collaboration and ensuring that the development of the economic zone aligns with the hopes and interests of the IPs moreover promotes the investment promotion agency’s thrust of inclusive development where all stakeholders have the proper platform for consultation and feedback.
The meeting further highlighted APECO’s efforts to integrate the IP communities into its long-term development strategies. Hon. Reynante Tolentino Jr., Executive Assistant to the Governor’s Office of Aurora, Hon. Jennifer Araña, Vice Governor of Aurora, and Hon. Roynald Soriano, Municipal Mayor of Casiguran, participated in discussions of various topics including existing and new economic and livelihood opportunities for the IPs, ancestral land concerns, and the protection and promotion of IP communities rights to name a few. Facilitated by Atty. Atanacio Addog, Regional Director of the National Commission on Indigenous People (NCIP) Region III, the meeting provided an avenue for the IP communities to express concerns regarding land occupation and economic participation, ensuring that their inputs and suggestions are considered in policy formulation. Additionally, the election of new officers for the Provincial Council of Chieftains reinforced the institutionalization of IP representation within APECO’s governance structure, which aims to ensure and to respect IPs role in shaping the ecozone’s future.
Moving forward, APECO has outlined several development initiatives that will directly benefit the IP communities, ensuring their active participation in economic growth. Plans include the appointment of IP Desk Officers to support indigenous affairs within the ecozone, as well as to provide upskilling programs such as basket-making, banana chip production, and furniture crafting to enhance and to diversify livelihood opportunities. This initiative is in continuation of APECO’s IP inclusion programs which include the development of an IP Lounge in the APECO Administrative Building and the creation of the IP Desk.
With its new strategic direction, APECO plans to create many employment opportunities and new economic models that prioritize and benefit the IP communities in the region. By fostering an inclusive approach for industry development, APECO is setting a standard for sustainable development that respects and uplifts the IP communities of Aurora, empowering them to become more than just beneficiaries and to be active partners in the province’s economic progress.
