The Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) on Wednesday said it has secured P12.86 billion worth of approved investments this January 2026, with projected $59.74 million in exports and 1,005 jobs, reaffirming the country’s active role in regional and global value chains.

In a statement on Wednesday, PEZA said it approved 18 new projects during its first board meeting of the year, comprising 13 locator enterprises and five ecozone developers.

“Investors today are taking a more deliberate approach—prioritizing resilience, efficiency, and long-term value. What is encouraging is that the Philippines continues to offer stable fundamentals that allow export-oriented investments to move forward with confidence,” said PEZA Director General Tereso Panga.

The PEZA Board, led by Trade Secretary and PEZA Board Chair Cristina Roque, greenlit the 18 projects approved in January, reflecting a geographically balanced investment footprint and reinforcing PEZA’s commitment to inclusive growth beyond traditional industrial hubs.

“These approvals reflect the continued confidence of investors in the Philippines’ long-term growth story and our ability to deliver a stable, predictable, and competitive investment environment,” Roque said.

“By encouraging investments that are export-oriented and geographically diverse, we are strengthening the foundations for inclusive growth and ensuring that more regions benefit from global trade and economic opportunities,” she added.

New investments span key growth corridors across CALABARZON, covering Laguna, Cavite, and Batangas, as well as strategic urban and emerging locations in the National Capital Region, including Parañaque City, Quezon City, and Marikina.

Outside Luzon, approvals extend to Cebu, Camarines Sur, Misamis Occidental, and General Santos City, highlighting continued investor interest in regional expansion supported by PEZA’s ecozone framework.

Notably, investments from key international markets—including Japan, the Netherlands, Hong Kong, Singapore, and China—were recorded during the month, with Japan emerging as PEZA’s leading source of approved investments for January.

January’s approvals were anchored by three large-scale projects, reinforcing confidence in PEZA’s medium- to long-term development pipeline.

A major tourism ecozone enterprise with an investment value of more than P5 billion was approved for establishment in Parañaque City, supporting the country’s efforts to strengthen high-value urban tourism, hospitality, and services exports within integrated and sustainable ecozone developments.

This was complemented by two ecozone development projects located in Misamis Occidental and Batangas, with a combined estimated investment of P5.9 billion, expanding PEZA’s registered land bank in the regions and ensuring the availability of future-ready industrial and commercial spaces for export-oriented enterprises seeking locations outside Metro Manila.

“Resilience is built not just in times of expansion, but in how economies navigate transition. What we are seeing today is a steady recalibration—one that keeps the Philippines firmly in investors’ long-term plans,” Director General Panga noted.

Looking ahead, PEZA remains focused on sustaining investor confidence through policy stability, ease of doing business, and the continued competitiveness of its ecozones.

Targeting P300 billion in investments and 100,000 new jobs for 2026, the director general reassured, “We are realistic about the environment, but we are equally confident in our direction. With a robust pipeline and consistent investor engagement, PEZA is well-positioned to work toward achieving our target for this year.”