BUSINESS

PEZA’s 1H 2026 investment approvals hit P151.9B

Raffy Ayeng · Jul 25, 2026, 12:11 AM

A TOTAL of 52 new and expansion projects worth P35.366 billion were approved by the Philippine Economic Zone Authority Board for the year. The PEZA said the approved investments are expected to generate over 5,000 direct Filipino jobs while the approved investments reflect a 33.33 percent increase compared to the 39 projects approved during the same period in 2025.

Due to the country’s improving investment climate, investment approvals in the country’s ecozones reached P151.901 billion following the approval of the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) Board of 17 new and expansion projects worth P11.212 billion.

“The first seven months of 2026 demonstrate that investor confidence in the Philippines remains strong. More importantly, we are seeing investments that are increasingly export-oriented, technology-driven, and aligned with the country’s long-term industrial development goals,” Director General Tereso Panga said in a statement on Friday.

Phl participation in global value chains

“These are the kinds of investments that generate quality jobs, strengthen our export sector, and deepen the Philippines’ participation in global value chains,” he added.

In its report, from January to July 2026, the PEZA Board approved 174 new and expansion projects, up 16 percent from 150 projects in the same period last year, with total approved investments reaching P151.901 billion, a 66.99 percent increase from P90.961 billion in 2025.

The approved projects are projected to generate $5.905 billion in exports — nearly three times the $2.003 billion recorded in the same period last year, or a 194.82 percent increase — and create 26,047 direct jobs nationwide.

While investment values naturally reflect the mix and scale of projects approved during each Board cycle, the strong export growth underscores PEZA’s success in attracting higher-value, export-oriented investments.

Manufacturing remains the backbone

Manufacturing remained the backbone of PEZA’s investment portfolio, accounting for 76 approved projects, followed by 28 IT-BPM, 26 ecozone development, 15 facilities, 13 logistics, 10 domestic market, 4 tourism, and 2 utilities projects, highlighting the continued strength and diversity of investments across Philippine economic zones.

Geographically, 141 projects are to be located in Luzon, 22 in the Visayas, and 11 in Mindanao, supporting PEZA’s push for more balanced regional development while reinforcing established industrial corridors.

Investor confidence likewise remained broad-based, with the Netherlands emerging as the top investment source, followed by South Korea, Singapore, Indonesia, and Germany.