Flooding a threat to investments in Bulacan
CITY OF MALOLOS—While Bulacan has attracted more than P200 billion in business investments from 2022 to the present, officials warned this week that worsening flooding may threaten future economic prospects.
This concern was raised during the launch of the Bulacan Ease of Doing Business (EODB) program held on Tuesday at the Mesa Alta restaurant in Hiyas Pavilion, in this city.
Ernesto Delos Reyes Jr., director at the Board of Investments (BOI), noted that several local and international investors have acquired land in towns and cities of Bulacan for township and business projects, but the recent flooding episodes have become a red flag for some stakeholders.
Green lane
“Many have already bought land for industrial economic zones,” Delos Reyes told the Inquirer. “But there are also comments like, ‘Why is it suddenly flooding? Hold on—this needs to be resolved.’ Because these are long-term investments, investors are closely watching how fast the flooding issue can be addressed. But ultimately, their main focus remains on the ease of doing business.”
According to Delos Reyes, major infrastructure projects such as the Bulacan airport and railway systems have drawn substantial portions of the total investments.
He also noted that Bulacan is the only province in Central Luzon to secure at least five projects under the BOI’s Green Lane, which expedites environmentally sustainable investments. These include ventures in renewable energy, greenhouse agriculture and cold storage facilities.
Delos Reyes noted the country’s bid to become a Green Lane investment hub in Southeast Asia, particularly in services and manufacturing, though he acknowledged that the Philippines had previously fallen behind regional neighbors due to a lack of strategic investment policies.
Anti-Red Tape Authority (Arta) Secretary Ernesto Perez, who also spoke at the event, said that while Bulacan has faced issues surrounding flood control project anomalies, it continues to shine as a model for EODB reforms.
“Over P200-billion worth of investment is something to celebrate. I congratulate Bulacan officials for championing the ease of doing business in their respective localities,” Perez said.
He referred to Baliwag City as an example, citing its fastest online process for securing government permits—surpassing even a city in Metro Manila in terms of efficiency.
Perez also reiterated the Marcos administration’s directive to eliminate bureaucratic red tape, saying “the President instructed us to roll out the red carpet, not red tape. This is how we welcome investors and ensure real progress.”
Perez also referenced Republic Act No. 11032 or the EODB and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act of 2018, which aims to simplify government procedures and cut processing time for business-related transactions.
Bulacan Gov. Daniel Fernando underscored that the province’s investment drive is not only for large-scale ventures but also for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
“We want every Bulakenyo to have their own chance of becoming successful—to become investors themselves,” the governor said. INQ
To support this goal, the Provincial Government Cooperative and Enterprise Development Office (PCEDO) has increased its investment loan assistance to P500,000 per borrower.
PCEDO head Lawyer Jayric Amil said more than 50 individuals and cooperatives in the province have benefited from their loan program. The office allotted P24 million in its 2025 budget to sustain and expand these initiatives.
Fernando said Bulacan is aiming to be recognized as the Most Business-Friendly Province in the Philippines, noting that it is currently ranked among the Top 5 in this category.
