PEZA Board OKs ₱12.85B worth of investments

The Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) Board approved 18 new projects worth P12.85 billion during its first meeting in 2026, with the agency seeking to reach P300 billion within the year.

According to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), the approved projects, which are expected to generate 1,005 jobs and $59.74 million in exports, include 13 locator enterprises and five ecozone developers. PEZA targets P300 billion worth of investments and 100,000 jobs this year.

“We are realistic about the environment, but we are equally confident in our direction. With a robust pipeline and consistent investor engagement, PEZA is well-positioned to work toward achieving our target for this year,” PEZA Director General Tereso Panga said in a statement.

“Investors today are taking a more deliberate approach—prioritizing resilience, efficiency, and long-term value. What is encouraging is that the Philippines continues to offer stable fundamentals that allow export-oriented investments to move forward with confidence,” he added.

Japan was the leading source of investments for the latest approvals, along with the Netherlands, Hong Kong, Singapore, and China.

Among the approved investments are the P5-billion tourism ecozone enterprise in Parañaque and two ecozone development projects in Misamis Occidental and Batangas cumulatively worth P5.9 billion.

“These approvals reflect the continued confidence of investors in the Philippines’ long-term growth story and our ability to deliver a stable, predictable, and competitive investment environment,” DTI Secretary and PEZA Board Chair Cristina Roque said.

“By encouraging investments that are export-oriented and geographically diverse, we are strengthening the foundations for inclusive growth and ensuring that more regions benefit from global trade and economic opportunities,” she added.

PEZA's mandate includes promoting the establishment of economic zones in the Philippines for foreign investments. —VBL, GMA Integrated News