PEZA books over P237-B investment pledges in Jan.-Dec. 2025, up 10.7%

The Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) has approved P237.10 billion worth of investment commitments from January to December 2025.

The amount of approved investments, as of December 12, surpassed the full-year 2024 investment pledges at P214.18 billion by 10.7%.

For the period January to December 2025, PEZA said it approved 307 projects, up 20.39% from 255 projects approved in 2024.

The investment promotion agency said the approvals could translate into $10.22 billion in projected exports, more than doubling last year's $4.69 billion, or a 117.92% increase. 

PEZA said the expected employment from the approved projects rose to 74,678 jobs, up 3.13% from 72,413 jobs in 2024.

The agency said investment activity remained broad-based and diversified, led by manufacturing at 146 projects, and IT-BPM at 67 projects, alongside ecozone development at 26, facilities at 25, domestic enterprises at 25, logistics at 13, and utilities at five.

PEZA added that P191.48 billion of the total approved investments came from 38 big-ticket projects, "signaling strong capital commitments in strategic and high-impact industries."

In December alone, approved investment pledges stood at 26 new and expansion projects, up 62.5% from 16 projects in December 2024 with total investments surging to P29.84 billion, up 136.35% year-on-year. 

Projected exports for December alone could hit $2.83 billion, up 261.43% with expected employment generation of 5,183 jobs, up 390.35% from a year earlier.

Driving the performance were six big-ticket projects amounting to P24.107 billion, spanning three manufacturing, one domestic, and two ecozone development projects.

PEZA clarified that year-to-date P237.1 billion in investment pledges approved represent only a partial figure as the agency is set to conduct its final Board Approval Meeting on December 22.

The agency said it is optimistic about achieving—or even surpassing—its P250-billion investment target for 2025. — VDV, GMA Integrated News