The Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) said Thursday it approved P105.83 billion worth of investments in the first eight months of 2025, reflecting a 71.54-percent increase from P61.69 billion in the same period in 2024, with P14.872 billion approved in August alone.
“Investors are voting with their capital, and they are choosing the Philippines as a place to grow their businesses. By bringing the Board meeting to Davao, we are showing our commitment to spreading progress beyond Metro Manila and building an inclusive, region-driven economy,” PEZA director-general Tereso Panga said.
Data showed that from January to August, PEZA gave the green light to 179 new and expansion projects, which expected to generate $3.377 billion in exports and create 40,638 jobs. Of these, 16 big-ticket projects account for P78.98 billion.
PEZA said that in August, 29 projects were approved with a combined projected export value of $1.37 billion and 4,764 jobs. Four of these were big-ticket projects worth P11.24 billion.
Investment approvals in August slipped 8 percent to P14.87 billion, compared to P16.17 billion in August 2024.
Manufacturing continues to lead PEZA’s approvals with 82 projects year-to-date, including 16 in August. IT-BPM followed with 46 projects in the first eight months, five of which were approved in August. Other approvals cover domestic enterprises, ecozone development, facilities, logistics, and utilities.
Most projects are concentrated in Luzon with 147 approvals, followed by 25 in the Visayas and seven in Mindanao. In August, Region IV-A accounted for the bulk of new projects with 18.
Foreign investors continue to drive inflows, with the largest coming from Cayman Islands firms at P13.14 billion. They were followed by South Korean companies with P10.77 billion, Chinese firms with P6.15 billion, American investors with P3.28 billion and Dutch companies with P2.31 billion.
“With the volume of interest we are receiving, and the quality of projects in our pipeline, we are confident that the coming months will not just achieve our target for the year but also bring even greater gains for our economy and our people,” Panga said.
