The Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) approved P124.84 billion worth of new and expansion projects in the first five months of 2026, nearly doubling the P66.34 billion recorded in the same period last year as investor confidence remained strong despite global economic uncertainties.

PEZA said the 135 approved projects from January to May represent an 88-percent increase year-on-year and are expected to generate about $2.97 billion in exports, almost three times the $1.09 billion projected during the same period in 2025.

PEZA Director General Tereso O. Panga said the strong performance reflects continued confidence in the Philippines as a destination for export-oriented investments.

"Our robust investment growth and the near tripling of projected exports demonstrate that investors continue to see the Philippines as a strategic location for business expansion," Panga said.

For May alone, the PEZA Board approved 31 projects worth P15.41 billion, a 446.89-percent jump from the P2.82 billion approved a year earlier. The projects are expected to generate $364.73 million in exports and create 3,895 jobs.

Of the projects approved in May, 16 were export manufacturing ventures, seven were IT-BPM projects, while the remainder covered logistics, ecozone development, domestic market, facilities and tourism enterprises.

Among the biggest approvals were three export manufacturing projects in Pampanga, Laguna and Cebu with a combined investment value exceeding P11 billion, expected to strengthen the country's manufacturing base and export capacity.

From January to May, approved projects are projected to generate 20,012 jobs. PEZA noted that its investment pipeline is increasingly composed of technology-driven, export-oriented and capital-intensive projects. Investors came mainly from the Netherlands, South Korea, Indonesia, Germany, Japan and Singapore.

Panga said the recently approved 2026 Strategic Investment Priorities Plan is expected to further boost the country's competitiveness by promoting advanced manufacturing, emerging technologies, digital infrastructure and sustainability-driven industries, aligning with PEZA's push to attract high-value and innovation-led investments.