PEZA-Approved Investments Hit PHP 72B in H1 2025 Surge

The Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) reported a 59.1 percent year-on-year increase in approved investments, totaling PHP 72.362 billion for the first half of 2025.

From January to June 2025, PEZA greenlit 133 projects, up 10.83 percent from 120 projects in the same period last year.

These ventures are expected to generate 32,983 direct jobs, a 30.58 percent rise compared to the 25,259 jobs projected in H1 2024.

“This continued surge in investments affirms PEZA’s role as a vital engine for economic growth and job creation for the country,” said PEZA Director General Tereso O. Panga.

“We are reaping the fruits of our aggressive promotion efforts, investor-centric reforms, and continued commitment to making the Philippines a competitive and resilient hub for global industries,” he added.

South Korea led foreign investments in the first half of 2025, followed by the United States, China, the Netherlands, and Japan.

Sector-wise, food and beverage manufacturing topped the list, followed by ecozone development and the Information Technology–Business Process Management (IT-BPM) sector.

In June 2025 alone, the PEZA Board, chaired by Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Ma. Cristina A. Roque, approved 31 new and expansion projects worth PHP 6.022 billion.

These June projects are expected to contribute USD 161.43 million in export revenues and generate 3,646 direct jobs.

The investment figure marked a 113.77 percent increase from May’s PHP 2.817 billion.

Of the June approvals, 14 were export-oriented enterprises, seven were in IT-BPM, four were domestic market-oriented, and another four focused on logistics operations.

Additional approvals included one facilities development and one developer project, demonstrating a balanced sectoral mix.

The projects will be located across the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), National Capital Region (NCR), Regions III, IV-A, VII, and XI.

Eight big-ticket projects approved during H1 2025 brought in investments exceeding PHP 50 billion.

PEZA is also tracking over 50 active investment leads from its promotion campaigns and recent inbound delegations from the U.S., China, Japan, Spain, Germany, and other countries.

These leads involve sectors such as automotive, aviation, electronic manufacturing services (EMS), semiconductor manufacturing services (SMS), IT healthcare, and Internet of Things (IoT) solutions.

“The Philippines is surely in a sweet spot to attract FDIs at this time,” said Panga.

“Surely, Filipinos and the whole country will reap the results of our combined hard work soon.”

PEZA said it remains confident in meeting its full-year investment targets, buoyed by strong investor trust and responsive facilitation strategies aligned with the Marcos administration’s economic goals.