MAKATI CITY — The Aurora Pacific Economic Zone and Freeport Authority (APECO) is positioned to become a burgeoning digital hub, with up to three data center operators expected to sign agreements within the year.
The surge in interest follows a strategic move to bolster the zone’s connectivity. On Friday, APECO President and Chief Executive Officer Gil Taway announced the projections during a media interview following a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signing ceremony with Filipino-Japanese internet service provider InfiniVAN Inc.
According to Taway, the announcement of InfiniVAN’s entry sparked immediate interest from the tech sector. “We are currently in talks with some data centers. But I don’t know if they will operate as commercial or hyperscalers,” Taway said.
The partnership with InfiniVAN, a subsidiary of Japan’s IPS Inc., aims to establish a critical terrestrial connection in Casiguran, Aurora. This infrastructure will bridge the ecozone to international submarine cable landing stations in Baler and subsea capacities in Claveria, Cagayan.
This connectivity is viewed as a prerequisite for attracting data centers—facilities that house vital computer systems—and hyperscalers, which manage massive global workloads. Officials noted that the move is specifically designed to meet the skyrocketing global demand for artificial intelligence (AI) computing.
To ensure the reliability of these high-stakes digital operations, InfiniVAN is prioritizing durability over cost. Group advisor Alejandro Aquino revealed that the company is allocating approximately PHP 4 million per kilometer of fiber optic cable to connect APECO to its Baler facility, a 100-kilometer stretch.
Given Aurora’s geographical vulnerability to extreme weather, the company opted against using traditional utility poles. “Fiber optic is glass so when electric posts fell your internet connection will be cut. So, we prefer to do it underground,” Aquino explained.
Beyond the technical specifications, APECO leadership emphasized the socio-economic impact of transforming the province into a tech corridor. While data centers are often highly automated, Taway stressed that the surrounding ecosystem will drive local prosperity.
“The convergence of digital and energy infrastructure is expected to create employment opportunities for local communities. As we attract data centers and energy investments, we also open up opportunities for the people of Aurora,” Taway said during his speech.
He further elaborated on the long-term benefits: “While data centers themselves are self-sustaining with smaller teams, it has a multiplier effect in the allied industries that provide support to these datacenter facilities. This means more jobs, more skills development, and more inclusive economic growth.”| PNA
