THE PHILIPPINE Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) saw a 59% increase in approved investment pledges in the primary six months of 2025, despite a drop in approvals in June.
In an announcement, PEZA said its board approved P72.362 billion value of investments within the January-to-June period, up 59.1% from the P45.481-billion investment pledges approved in the identical period last yr.
“This continued surge in investments affirms PEZA’s role as a significant engine for economic growth and job creation for the country,” PEZA Director-General Tereso O. Panga said in an announcement on Wednesday.
“The arrogance shown by each recent and existing investors is a powerful signal that our economic zones (ecozones) are thriving and open for business,” he added.
Nevertheless, the PEZA board only approved P6.022 billion value of investments in June, down by 30.4% from P8.654 billion in the identical month in 2024.
In June, the PEZA board greenlit 31 recent and expansion projects which can be expected to usher in $166.426 million in export revenues and three,646 jobs.
Fourteen of the approved projects will probably be undertaken by export-oriented enterprises, while seven projects are in the data technology and business process management (IT-BPM) sector.
4 projects involve domestic market-oriented enterprises, while 4 projects are in logistics.
One other project involves ecozone development, while one project involves facility development.
Nearly all of the projects are expected to be positioned in Region IV-A or Calabarzon, while the remaining will probably be in Central Luzon, the National Capital Region, Davao Region, Central Visayas, Western Visayas and Ilocos Region.
For the January-to-June period, PEZA approved 133 projects which can be expected to generate 32,983 jobs and have $1.26 billion in export value.
Nearly all of these projects are in manufacturing, while 39 are IT-BPM projects, 12 are domestic market-oriented enterprises, 10 are facility development projects, while nine are ecozone developments.
There are 4 utility projects and one other 4 are in logistics.
“South Koreans are available as the largest investor for the primary half of the yr, followed by the Americans, Chinese, Dutch and Japanese,” said PEZA.
“When it comes to sectoral investments, manufacturing of food and beverage products tops the list, followed by ecozone development and IT-BPM,” it added.
After the investment performance in the primary half, Mr. Panga said he’s “optimistic” that PEZA will achieve its targets this yr.
This yr, PEZA is targeting investment approvals to succeed in no less than P235 billion, and a 5% increase in each actual exports and employment.
“The Philippines is unquestionably in a sweet spot to draw foreign direct investments right now, and surely, Filipinos and the entire country will reap the outcomes of our combined labor soon,” Mr. Panga said.
PEZA said it’s pursuing 50 investment leads, which it hopes will translate in actual investments.
“PEZA likewise welcomed several high-level inbound delegations in the course of the period representing the US, China, Japan, Spain, Germany, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, the United Arab Emirates, and even domestic exploratory missions throughout the Philippines,” PEZA said.
It noted interest in electronics manufacturing and semiconductor manufacturing services, advanced manufacturing activities, aviation, automotive and data technology-business process management sectors. — Justine Irish D. Tabile