PEZA secures ₱175.37B, boosts PH ecozones’ global edge

31 October 2025 (Friday) – Pasay City — Amid reports of a more cautious investment outlook for the Philippines due to the various economic and geopolitical challenges, the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) continues to record steady growth in investments within its ecozones.

This comes as PEZA recently concluded its Board meeting last 24 October 2025, wherein a total of PhP175.37 billion in investments from approved new and expansion projects were recorded. This brings PEZA closer to its conservative target of PhP 250 Billion for the year and reflects the continued trust of investors in the stability and opportunities offered by the country’s ecozones.

PEZA Director General Tereso O. Panga said, “We recognize the current global and domestic factors influencing overall investment sentiment. Within this context, based on PEZA’s performance, this reflects the continuing confidence of our locators and partners in the ecozone program and the country’s long-term investment potential. Our focus remains on strengthening our ecozone program and ensuring a stable, transparent, and competitive business environment that supports sustainable growth.”

Year-to-Date Growth Performance

From January to October, PEZA approved a total of 243 new and expansion projects amounting to PhP 175.37 billion, a 41.72% increase from the same period in 2024. These projects are expected to generate US$ 6.079 billion in exports and create 59,937 direct jobs for Filipinos, reinforcing PEZA’s continued contribution to countryside development, industrial expansion, and sustainable economic growth.

In terms of investor nationality, the Japanese have reclaimed their spot as the leading contributors to PEZA’s approved investments, followed by investors from the Cayman Islands, South Korea, China, Singapore, the USA, among others. A significant increase in domestic market-oriented investments has also been recorded at PhP 84.312 Billion—a testament to both strong domestic investor confidence and the sustained interest of global players in PEZA ecozones.

Performance Highlight

In October alone, PEZA registered PhP 20.661 billion in approved investments from 28 new and expansion projects, marking a 162.64% surge compared to the PhP 7.869 billion recorded in the same month last year. These projects are expected to generate US$1.588 billion in exports, an impressive 182.33% year-on-year growth, and create 9,507 new jobs, reflecting a 95.53% increase compared to October 2024.

These newly approved projects are spread across key sectors led by export-oriented manufacturing, followed by IT services, domestic market enterprises, facilities management, logistics, and ecozone development, reflecting a healthy diversification of economic activity under PEZA.

Meanwhile, regional strength remains evident. In particular, the CALABARZON region continues to be the powerhouse of investment, with Laguna emerging as a standout location. Notably, the three (3) big-ticket projects (PhP 1 Billion and up) approved accounting for PhP 16.327 billion of investment are all located in the area, reflecting PEZA’s intensified efforts to spur regional development, generate local employment, and decentralize progress beyond Metro Manila.

PEZA’s Optimistic Outlook Amid Headwinds

While the broader investment environment remains cautious amid global uncertainties, PEZA’s positive performance — with both cumulative and monthly results showing double- to triple-digit growth across all key indicators— provides a measure of optimism for the country’s investment landscape.

“With over 70% of our investment target already achieved within ten months—and with strong pipelines of projects still under review—we are confident and optimistic of meeting and hopefully even exceeding our 2025 investment goal of 250 billion!” DG Panga affirmed.

Moreover, PEZA sees this upward investment trajectory to boost the country’s GDP growth forecast for the year and 2026, given the positive increase in actual ecozone exports and employment for January- September 2025 at 10% and 5%, respectively, compared to the same period last year.

By continuing to promote transparent and predictable policies with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. leading the charge, enhancing ecozone competitiveness, and working closely with SAPIEA Secretary Frederick D. Go, DTI Secretary Ma. Cristina A. Roque and the rest of the government’s economic team, PEZA remains committed to helping strengthen the country’s position as a stable and reliable investment destination in the region.