Peza OK’d P260.89-B investments in 2025
Despite global and geopolitical headwinds, the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (Peza) posted its strongest investment performance in nine years. It approved P260.89 billion worth of investments in 2025, covering 314 projects.
This tally marks Peza’s highest investment approvals since 2016 and exceeds its 2024 figure of P214.18 billion by 21.91 percent. It also surpassed the agency’s lower-end 2025 target of P250 billion.
Peza Director General Tereso Panga said the agency is aiming to approve P300 billion worth of investments in 2026. It is the same amount set as the upper-end target for this year.
“[D]espite global headwinds and economic challenges, Peza has defied the odds as it sustained its upward investment growth trajectory—anchored on the continued trust and confidence of investors in the Philippines and most especially in our ecozones,” Panga said.
Of the total amount, P153.83 billion came from domestic sources while P107.06 billion came from foreign investments.
Peza said the 2025 investment approvals are expected to generate 78,741 direct jobs, up 8.74 percent from the 2024 level.
The projects are also expected to generate up to $11.52 billion in export revenues. That means a 145.73-percent increase from the previous year.
Manufacturing accounted for the bulk of investment approvals in 2025 with 57.69 percent or P150.52 billion across 152 projects.
Following were ecozone development projects worth P76.47 billion across 26 projects. Information technology and business process management investments totaled P11.09 billion across 67 projects.
Domestic market-oriented ventures accounted for 25 projects, facilities investments (25), logistics (13), utilities (five) and tourism (one). Other industries accounted for P22.82 billion in approved investments.
Among sources of foreign investments, Japan remained at the top with P32.6 billion. Running up were the Cayman Islands with P16.7 billion, South Korea (P11.46 billion), Singapore (P11.19 billion) and China (P6.87 billion).
Big-ticket projects contributed P214.6 billion of the total across 41 projects.
Peza breached its 2025 target with last-minute approvals this month. A final board meeting on Dec. 22 alone yielded P23.69 billion in investments across seven projects. These are expected to create 3,821 direct jobs and generate $1.3 billion in exports.
Of these, three were big-ticket investments valued at P23.12 billion. These include a tourism enterprise that will develop an ultra-luxury hotel brand and MICE facilities in Metro Manila; a firm that will manufacture medical and nonmedical gloves in Batangas; and a manufacturing company expanding its electronics and semiconductor production in Laguna.
Peza welcomed 10 newly proclaimed ecozones in 2025: two in Malvar, Batangas, and one each in Tagbilaran, Bohol; Bacolod; Santa. Rosa, Laguna; Biñan, Laguna; Balamban, Cebu; Aseana City, Parañaque; Medina, Misamis Oriental; and Calamba, Laguna.
Panga said the agency expects 14 additional ecozones to be proclaimed by January 2026. These include the country’s first Mega Ecozone in Ihawig, Palawan and a Pacific gateway in Pantao, Albay.
“[W]e are confident that the influx of investments and expansion of projects at Peza will continue,” he said. “Locators are seeing the value of expanding and consolidating their supply chains in the Philippines.”
