102 projects expected to create 29,337 jobs, generate $1B exports
The Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) said it has approved P66 billion worth of project investment pledges in the first five months of 2025, representing an 80 percent increase from P36.83 billion a year earlier.
In a report released on Tuesday, the PEZA said the pledged amount will be allocated to 102 new and expansion projects, which are expected to create 29,337 jobs and generate $1 billion in annual exports once operational. It did not disclose the project approvals for May.
PEZA Director-General Tereso Panga attributed the increase in approvals to continued investor interest, driven by the recently passed Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises to Maximize Opportunities for Reinvigorating the Economy (CREATE MORE), which enhanced fiscal incentives for investors.
Panga said PEZA has been receiving a number of inquiries lately and “we are confident that we can do a quick turnover and welcome these companies as new locators.” He declined to name these companies.
“There still remains some uncertainty regarding the US tariffs, which are currently being negotiated. However, the government is promoting the China+1+1 methodology to facilitate the growing interest of China-based companies in having a presence in the Philippines,” Panga said.
Of the 102 projects approved in January to May, 41 are in manufacturing, 32 are in information technology-business process management (IT-BPM); eight each in domestic-oriented companies, ecozone development projects, and facilities enterprises; and four are in utilities.
Of the P66 billion worth of project investment pledges made in the five-month period, P49.81 billion are for big-ticket projects, PEZA said.
According to the PEZA report, South Korea was the leading investing nationality, accounting for 16.12 percent of total approved investments from January to May.
PEZA attributed this to the recently implemented South Korea–Philippines free trade agreement, which bolstered investor confidence and strengthened bilateral economic ties.
Other major contributors were the United States, China, Japan and the Netherlands.
Food and beverage drew the largest share of approvals, at 43.74 percent, followed by ecozone development at 32.52 percent, and IT-BPM at 7.59 percent. Sectors such as electronics manufacturing services (3.56 percent) and semiconductor manufacturing services (1.43 percent), as well as automotive (1.43 percent), also registered steady investment activity, the report showed.
The top locations by number of projects were Region IV, with 50 projects; Region VII, 16; the National Capital Region, 14; and Region III, 13.
