Land lease law may help attract FDI

A SENATOR on Monday urged the government to tap a law allowing foreigners to lease Philippine land for up to 99 years to attract capital, promoting the country as an investment hub to help lift economic performance amid sluggish growth.

President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. last September signed into law a measure that allows foreign investors to lease land to 99 years from 75 years as part of efforts to attract foreign investments.

“The law is already in place,” Senator Francis G. Escudero said in a statement. “What we need now is aggressive promotion and clear messaging to investors that the Philippines is ready for long‑term partnerships.”

He said that foreign direct investments (FDIs) dipped to $7.1 billion from January to November 2025, a 21% decline from the $9.08 billion recorded in the same period in 2024.

The government must “move decisively” to restore investor confidence to allow the Philippines compete more aggressively in attracting foreign capital in the Southeast Asian region, Mr. Escudero said. — Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio