PEZA investment tally as of Aug surges 71.54%
Aggressive promotion efforts are paying off for the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (Peza), which tallied a 71.54-jump in investment approvals in the first eight months of the year.
Peza said in a statement that it had approved P105.83 billion in investments in the January to August period, a notable climb from the P61.69 billion recorded in the same period last year.
The end-August number, however, is equivalent to just 42 percent of the target for the year of between P235 billion and P250 billion, although the agency is hoping for a late surge to meet the 2025 goal.
“With the volume of interest we are receiving, and the quality of projects in our pipeline, we are confident that the coming months will not just achieve our target for the year but also bring even greater gains for our economy and our people,” Peza Director General Tereso Panga said in a statement on Thursday.
About 179 projects were approved during the period, up 9.82 percent. These are projected to generate 40,638 direct jobs and $3.38 billion in export revenues.
Broken down, the manufacturing sector accounted for 82 of the projects, followed by Information Technology and Business Process Management (IT-BPM) with 46. Among foreign investors, entities from the Cayman Islands topped the list, followed by those from South Korea, China, the United States and Netherlands.
For August alone, the Peza board approved 29 new and expansion projects amounting to P14.872 billion, which will provide 4,764 direct jobs.
Of the approved projects, 16 are in export manufacturing, five are in IT-BPM and four are in domestic market-oriented activities. The majority of these projects will be located in Calabarzon.
Four big-ticket projects alone amounted to P11.243 billion.
PEZA said two new manufacturing ecozones were expected to be developed in Tarlac, further strengthening its position as an emerging hub in the province and it is seen to become a key player in the Luzon Economic Corridor.
A 16-story facility in Davao City and a steel manufacturing plant with an expanded product line in Sarangani are anticipated to boost countryside development.
“What we’re seeing now is still a healthy, robust pipeline of projects—and with our expanded regional engagements, we expect strong growth momentum in the months ahead,” said Panga.
Panga said convening the PEZA board’s first meeting in Davao early this month reflects their commitment to spreading progress beyond Metro Manila and building an inclusive, region-driven economy.
“Investors are voting with their capital, and they are choosing the Philippines as a place to grow their businesses,” he added.
