South Cotabato province and the Board of Investments (BOI) signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) on Aug. 13, 2025 to boost strategic investments and establish the province as a top investment destination in the SOCCSKSARGEN region.
The partnership, which formalizes the province as the first in Mindanao to team up with the BOI under this framework, covers the implementation of the Green Lane initiative, the joint promotion of investment opportunities, and the strengthening of local government roles in investment facilitation.
Under the agreement, the BOI will provide technical and promotional support, including investor-matching activities and assistance in updating the province’s Local Investment Incentives Code.
In turn, South Cotabato will maintain updated investment data and designate focal persons to ensure seamless coordination with the BOI’s One-Stop Action Center for Strategic Investments.
“This is a proud moment for us,” said Ernesto Delos Reyes Jr., BOI director for Investments Assistance Service.
“It signals the province’s commitment to enhancing its investment readiness and promoting sustainable, strategic growth, and we are ready to support the province in this endeavor,” he said.
South Cotabato’s investment landscape includes agribusiness, manufacturing, renewable energy and ecotourism. The province is home to companies like Dole Philippines, Inc. and Biotech Farms Inc. It also hosts significant mineral resources, including 2.2 billion tons of copper and 2.4 million tons of gold.
“The agreement represents the national government’s whole-of-government approach in empowering local governments to attract strategic investments that drive sustainable and inclusive growth,” said Bobby Fondevilla, BOI Investments Assistance Center executive director.
, aiming to attract strategic investments and become a premier economic hub in the SOCCSKSARGEN region.){kind=link}