APECO and PPPI held an initial meeting on April 24 at APECO’s satellite office in Parañaque City to discuss potential areas of collaboration.
Why it matters
The proposed pharma hub supports the Marcos administration’s push to improve access to affordable medicines, strengthen healthcare systems, and position the Philippines as a competitive player in high-value industries.
During the meeting, PPPI identified possible components of the hub, including research and development, clinical trials, and cold chain logistics and warehousing—key segments in the pharmaceutical value chain.
APECO President and CEO Atty. Gil G. Taway IV said the ecozone is well-positioned to host such investments, citing its available land and improving infrastructure.
What’s planned
“We are building APECO as a complete, investment-ready ecosystem. For industries like pharmaceuticals that demand stability, efficiency, and scale, our ecozone provides the environment where they can operate and grow with confidence,” Taway said.
APECO has earmarked up to 496 hectares in Parcel 1 for the potential pharma hub, part of the 12,923 hectares under its management. The agency is also strengthening power, water, and logistics connectivity to meet the requirements of pharmaceutical locators.
National roadmap
For its part, PPPI is drafting a national roadmap for pharma hubs in coordination with the Department of Trade and Industry, with APECO identified as a potential site.
PPPI President and CEO Maria Blanca Kim Bernardo-Lokin said the initiative could help position the Philippines as a regional hub for pharmaceutical firms.
“We can position the Philippines as a competitive regional hub in Asia for global pharmaceutical firms, leveraging our strengths in R&D, clinical trials, and logistics,” she said. —Ed: Corrie S. Narisma
