The Authority of the Freeport Area of Bataan (AFAB) has recorded 35,939 employees working at the Freeport Area of Bataan (FAB) for 2025, with 24,259 workers classified as regular employees, representing 67.5% of the total Freeport workforce.

According to AFAB, the agency “recognizes that the workforce is the backbone of a successful Freeport. Through sustained ecozone development and worker programs, AFAB supports enterprise growth, helping sustain job creation and workforce stability.”

The government owned and controlled corporation (GOCC) cited that AFAB continues to uphold workers’ right to security of tenure through regularization.

AFAB reported that aside from the 67.5% regular employees, the employment status of some of the workers are 12.4% remain probationary, 13.2% remain project-based, 2.4% seasonal, 2.6% fixed-period, 1.7% casual, and 0.1% temporary.

Of the 35,939 employees, 84.77% of workers came from within the Province of Bataan, with 77.53% residing in Mariveles. Meanwhile, 15.23% of the workforce came from outside Bataan, up from 7.18% in 2024.

Industrial workers remain the largest segment of the workforce, with 20,615 employees, accounting for 57.36% of total workers. This marks an increase from 52.15% in the previous year.

In terms of skills classification, the workforce is largely production based, with 79.8% of workers engaged in production related roles. The remaining number of workers are engaged in administrative work with 10.3%, and technical work with 9.9%.

Meanwhile, AFAB reported an increase of 2.73% in the FAB Operational Enterprises for 2025, from 293 FAB Enterprises (FEs) in January to 301 FEs in December. The reduced number of the total FAB Registered Enterprises (FREs) in 2025 was the result of the intensified monitoring of FREs conducted by AFAB through the Registration

In 2025, 13 Certificates of Registration of FREs were cancelled, creating an opportunity for AFAB to offer the areas to other investors as a result. Nine FREs were found non-operational, one was transferred as BL, four FREs found to be operational, and one new FRE was added, but is not yet operational.

AFAB Administrator and CEO Hussein Pangandaman said, “As the year begins, AFAB continues to advance its plans and projects aimed at further developing the Freeport Area of Bataan. These include the improvement of facilities and spaces intended to stimulate tourism and business activity within the FAB.”

“Once again, a happy new year to the entire FAB Community. Together, let us welcome the new year with renewed strength and hope toward a progressive Freeport Area of Bataan.”