The Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) said it approved a total of P72.36 billion of project investment in the first half of 2025, up 59.1 percent from P45.48 billion in the same period last year.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, PEZA Director-General Tereso Panga expressed optimism that the agency’s P235 billion investment target for 2025 would be met.
“The continued surge in investments affirms PEZA’s role as a vital engine for economic growth and job creation for the country,” Panga said.
PEZA said it approved 133 projects from January to June 2025, a 10.83 percent increase over the 120 projects approved in the first half of 2024.
Once operational, these projects are projected to generate $1.26 billion in exports annually.
These projects are expected to create 32,983 direct jobs, or 30.58 percent more than the 25,259 jobs to be created by the approved projects in the first half of 2024.
PEZA said in its report eight major projects among those approved in the first half have a combined cost of P50 billion. The PEZA declined to name them.
Of the 133 approved projects, 55 are in manufacturing; 39 are in information technology-business process management (IT-BPM); 12 are domestic enterprises; 10 are facilities enterprises; 9 are in ecozone development and four each in utilities and logistics.
By location, Region IV received the bulk of the projects at 68. Region VII, 20; National Capital Region, 18; Region III, 16; Cordillera Autonomous Region, 3; Region XI, Region VI, and Region I, two each; Region X and Region XII, one each.
The PEZA said the most significant country source of investment in the first half of 2025 is South Korea, followed by the US, China, the Netherlands, and Japan.
In its board meeting on June 19, PEZA approved P6 billion in investment for the month, representing a 31 percent decrease from P8.65 billion in June 2024.
The amount will be poured into 31 new and expansion projects, which are projected to generate $161.43 million in annual export revenues and 3,646 direct jobs, PEZA said.
It said it is actively pursuing and assisting more than 50 investment leads as a result of various outbound and inbound missions from the US, China, Japan, Spain, Germany, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, and the United Arab Emirates.
PEZA said these missions brought interest in electronics and semiconductor and advanced manufacturing activities, automotive, aviation and IT-BPM projects such as IT, health care, and IoT (internet) solutions.
“The Philippines is surely in a sweet spot to attract foreign direct investments,” Panga said.
