The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved two policy-based loans totaling $900 million to help the Philippines improve the ease of doing business and strengthen its emerging blue economy.

On 10 December, ADB cleared a $400-million Business Environment Strengthening with Technology (BEST) Program loan, which supports government reforms to simplify business regulations, enhance transparency, and expand digital delivery of public services.

Boosting investment in priority sectors 

The program aims to boost investment in priority sectors such as renewable energy and digital infrastructure while improving investor experience through updated regulatory guidebooks and an expanded Philippine Business Regulations Information System under the Anti-Red Tape Authority.

The loan comes amid heightened scrutiny of governance following the flood control scandal. Recent surveys show 83 percent of Filipinos believe corruption is widespread, while 90 percent of European firms cite regulatory burdens and poor ease-of-doing-business conditions as major obstacles.

Private sector an important growth engine

“The private sector is an important engine of growth and job creation,” ADB Philippines country director Andrew Jeffries said, emphasizing the need for an enabling regulatory environment to support sustainable economic expansion.

A day later, on 11 December, ADB approved another $500-million loan to support sustainable management of the Philippines’ marine and coastal resources under the Marine Ecosystems for Blue Economy Development Program (Subprogram 1).

Boost for the blue economy

The blue economy — covering fisheries, tourism, marine manufacturing, shipping, and offshore energy — contributed P1.01 trillion (3.8 percent of GDP) in 2024 but faces increasing threats from plastic pollution, coastal degradation, and extreme weather events.

The program seeks to strengthen coastal resilience, improve the plastic and solid waste management value chain, and promote investments in natural capital — all aligned with the Philippine Development Plan 2023–2028, the National Adaptation Plan 2023–2050, and the country’s climate commitments.

“More than half of Filipinos depend on marine resources for food and livelihood,” Jeffries said. “This program supports long-term ecological and economic resilience and positions the blue economy at the center of inclusive, low-carbon development.”